Loadstone
by Jeremy Markenson
Summary: Rebecca Chambers is rescued from Raccoon City by a mysterious stranger. Was this is an act of philanthropy or something more sinister? read, review and enjoy! formerly Rebecca's Ordeal
1. The Ally

Authors Note: i know i have terrible spelling and punctuation i edit it the best i can with proof reading and online helpers. Still feel free to notify me of any discrepancies you find in my work. Alright i had to re upload AGAIN because the other day i was proof reading a new chapter when i suddenly realized that Microsoft word had been auto correcting and there by miss spelling Rebecca's name as Rebbecca. So i had to go and correct ever instance were her name was used...... so heres the story (hopefully this time i can keep it up for more than 2 day's) read and review..... now i have to go plot my revenge against Microsoft

Disclaimer: i don't own resident evil, this is my first fic but please read and review feel free to flame I'm looking for real feedback hear so don't think you have to be nice.

Things to know:

This story is Rebecca centric

Takes place post resident evil 0 and 1 but pre RE3.

Jeremy Markenson is a character i created for the purposes of this fic

This story takes place under the assumption that Raccoon City was in the state of Colorado(i don't know were it came from i just googled it)

Chapter 1 The Ally

Shots broke the dull silence of Raccoon City on the evening of August 12th 1998, but the silence it disturbed was not the dull humdrum silence of a ordinary suburb settling in for the evening. No this silence contained something dark... something evil. The city if you wanted to still call it that was no longer inhabited by what you would call "living humans". No it was inhabited by the walking dead, who walk without tire and feast without end, there delicacy? Human flesh. The city.... or hell would probably be a more appropriate name at this point in time was not derived completely of normal human beings. No there were several people still in the city fighting.... most for survival..... for the very right of existence over the massive mobs of not only zombies but things that only exist in the realm of a small child's nightmare. However some walk the desecrated streets with a more insightful mission. A mission with a target..... a mission with a end..... a mission with purpose.

Rebecca

Rebecca Chambers stared down at the short, slim, black haired young women she had just gunned down in cold blood. One shot had knocked her down but she was attempting to stand. She fired again and again. The 3d shot was the trick. The zombie sank to the earth and with a final moan closed its eyes and lay silent. Rebecca sighed "I've gotta be more careful" she thought silently "i wish I had some of my team here. I always feel better knowing theres someone watching my back."

She turned holding a flash light aloft with her left hand while holding her pistol in her right. She edged on to the street in front of her waiting for the sound of dragging feet or worse..... quick foot steps or loud screeches. However the street remained silent accept for the low crackle of the burning car to the right of her. Fire was now the soul light source for her outside of flash lights and lanterns. The power had died along with the city. She took a few more quick steps placing herself in the middle of the street. She stopped and listened.

"thump thump thump thump thump" echoed from the alleyway she had just emerged from.

"Shit" she yelled turning and aiming at the alley way "a hunter"

The baboon like monster emerged from the alley way with astounding speed. The hairs on the back of Rebecca's neck stood on end as it bared its teeth and let loose its resonating terrifying war cry. She opened fire leveling 4 shots at the beast 3 of which hit the area surrounding its face. It launched itself into the sky straight towards Rebecca she started to shoot again but was to late the hunter landed on top of her knocking her onto her back, sending her pistol and flashlight flying. but something was wrong why wasn't she being torn to pieces. She pushed the beast off of her and scrambled for her gun forgetting her flashlight for the moment. She stood up walked over and prodded it with her foot..

"Dead?" she said out loud as she turned from side to side looking for her savior. No one was there. "Is anybody out there?" she called loudly then immediately clapped her hands to her mouth as she herd the groans of zombies began emerging from many of the crumbling buildings on the block.

"What the hell was I thinking?" she thought as her heart beat accelerated as zombies coated the street in front of her. Behind her she heard zombies emerging from the alley ways on both sides of the street. She turned and looked at the hordes emerging from what she realized was her only escape route. She leveled her pistol at the zombies to the left of her. The ones emerging from the alley way she was headed towards when she had been attacked. Before she could even fire a shot something amazing started happening. The zombies began to fall backwards and lay motionless of there own accord. Of the 7 that had emerged 5 had done so, and now the 6th had as well.

She waited but the 7th kept hobbling towards her. She aimed and put a single round right between the eyes of the zombie. She wasted no time, she charged for the alley way leaping over the bodies of fallen zombies. She entered the alleyway and immediately stumbled. She had tripped on the uneven ground. However it only took her a second to recover. She sprinted down the alley passing a large wooden door that had not yet been ripped from its hinges. She was several feet past it when a loud bang told her the door had been thrown open. She wheeled around expecting to be face to face with another hunter, or worse..... Instead she caught a glimpse of a young man who was running at her full pelt. As he passed her he slowed.

"Follow me friend, I know a safe place" he whispered panting slightly.

Rebecca followed without hesitation. This man was no zombie and no monster and if he had a place to hide. Well he was doing a lot better than her at that moment. They emerged onto a large street however Rebecca was unsure what street exactly.

"Follow, stay close, keep quiet and to the shadows, and for gods sake don't set off any car alarms. Understand?" he whispered to her and by dim glow of a nearby flaming car she could make out some of his features.

She merely nodded her head as she examined the first truly "living" human being she had seen in nearly a week. "Young was right" she thought "He cant be more than 20". He was a tall man 6 foot 1 or 2 she wasn't sure. He was slim and lanky, but not scrawny, no even in this poor light she could tell he was well built. He was clad in a black Teeshirt with the words "Def Leppard – Rock of Ages" written across in large stylized type, blue jeans and sneakers. What you would expect a teenager to wear accept, in his hands he held what appeared to be some manner of shot gun. On his right side was a holster in which was some kind of pistol however in this light she couldn't tell what kind. However the thought of what kind of handgun he had was wiped away as he turned to reveal a gun she hadn't noticed. Slung across his back was a long range riffle with a scope mounted on top and what she guessed had to be a silencer and a flash suppressor on the end of it. It was nearly impossible to tell in the dark. This explained why the hunter and zombies had died inexplicable, and why she had heard and seen nothing.

"That was yo-" she attempted to ask quietly as she caught back up with him.

"Yes now shoosh someone....something is going to hear you" he corrected himself.

They continued silently along the street for several blocks. The street was deserted. She was just beginning to wonder if her new ally was lost when he said..

"Down here" his voice was tense and uneasy. He turned towards a alleyway that was wide and void of any source of light.

"Dammit" she thought "i never picked my flashlight back up" as she thought this the man took her gun free hand and said quietly.

"I can see don't worry just let me guide you." he took a few steppes forward pulling her with him.

She felt herself blushing as he pulled her along "whats this guys deal? And were is he taking me? And what reason do I have to trust this guy?...." she thought for a moment "he saved my life.... I guess that will have to do for now." as she thought this he stopped and she herd him fumbling with what sounded like keys, then she herd the familiar inserting and turning of a key in a lock. He pulled her a few more feet then she felt her hand leave his as he turned back to the door. He locked bolted and dead bolted the door before placing a large piece of wood in front it held in place between two brackets.

"There" he said before turning to face her."We'll be safe here for now at least"

"Safe from the monster.... maybe" she thought "but what about me? Whats going to protect me from you?"


	2. The Hide Out

The Hide Out

"Go" he said walking towards her indicating that she should walk down the hall way. It was the first time she had herd him speak in a normal voice. His voice was deep, confident and forceful but there was something about him and the way he talked that told her that he could be trusted that he was if nothing else, an exceptionally kind and compassionate person. She turned raised her gun and took a single step forward. "Put it away friend." he sighed deeply "when I said I new a safe place "SAFE" was meant to imply security as In no monsters." He passed by her in the dark she felt him brush her arm. She reached out and touched his shoulder, he paused mid step.

"I cant see anything here so just let me hold onto you" she said grasping his shoulder firmly as she holstered her gun for the first time in what felt like days..

"Sure" he replied "Its not far in" he added starting to move.

They moved quickly and silently down the dark hallway. They turned left after a half dozen or so steps. After several more steps he halted. She could hear fumbling with something metallic, there was a snap as a propane lantern ignited, illuminating the room they had emerged into.

"It's not much" he said simultaneously climbing onto what seemed to be a store counter "but its a place to hide". On the last word she herd 2 clicks as a florescent battery lantern burst into life over her head. The lantern was suspended by what seemed to be a hook that had once held a sign. He walked down the counter a few feet and flipped the switch on a second lantern. The two florescent bulbs blazed with light illuminating the far end of the room. He walked back down to were she stood climbed off the counter, crossed the room and began to discard his guns onto a table.

The room was fairly large, and somehow familiar. Cases with broken glass in and surrounding them covered 2 walls. There seemed to be two counters placed tip to tip so that they formed an L shape. The third was solid concrete and the fourth didn't seem to be a wall, it was shiny and metallic like a sheet of metal tacked up across a opening in place of a wall or door. Against the metal sheet near the far wall of the room she saw a sign. She approached it and saw that it said in large block letters "S-C-O-P-E-S". Recognition struck her.

"The mall?" she said questioningly "this is the gun shop inside of the mall isn't it?"

"Right you are miss. I came here shortly after the outbreak before the power went out. The place was deserted so I shut the metal doors to all the shops. I went back to them one buy one and took anything I thought might be of use. I decided to hold up in here because it was the only one with a back exit." he finished and took a deep breathe "But enough of that we haven't been properly introduced. I am Jeremy Markenson" he said approaching her holding out his hand "pleased to meet you misses?"

"It's miss" she said shaking his hand " and I am Rebecca Chambers of the RPD STARS unit" she finished formally.

He laughed and said "Well Miss Chambers your welcome to anything I have here. Theres food and water over under the counter over there" indicating the counter nearest the door. "I have more weapons and ammunition if you need or want any of them over there" he added indicating the counter near wear they were standing "My general stuff is over there with my guns." he said indicating the table were his weapons lay.

"Thank you and call me Rebecca." she replied suddenly realizing she couldn't remember the last time she had had anything to eat. What do you mean by "general supplies" she asked walking towards the counter behind which he had said he stored food.

"Batteries, rope, lantern oil, medicine, bandages, clean clothes, disinfectant," he rambled ticking off the products on his fingers as he went "just stuff like that. I told you I raided all the other stores for anything that I thought might be useful."

She was bent behind the counter examining his food supply. It consisted mostly of cookies, crackers, peanut butter, cereal. However beside all of these was a small supply of fruit a few oranges and a apple or two. Next to it she saw a small black handled pairing knife. "This isn't right" she thought to herself, "who in the hell has the presence of mind when there gathering food while being chased by mad zombies to pick up a knife that is specifically for peeling fruit." She straightened up from behind the counter and stared intently at Jeremy who was now busy refilling his ammo belt and checking his weapons.

"Something I can help you with Rebecca?" he said slipping a shot gun round into a sleeve on his belt.

"How old are you?" she asked not disguising the suspicion in her voice very well.

"I'm not jail bait if thats what your wondering.... not that it really matters in this situation." he said with a laugh. "I am 18 I graduated high school 2 and a half months ago..... Why do you ask? Does it really matter?" he said turning to look at her from across the room.

His initial comment caught her off guard and rendered her momentarily speechless. She recovered and spat "This is no time for jokes!" Jeremy looked a little taken a back by this sudden display of animosity. "i don't know who you are but your no 18 year old high school kid.... are you working with umbrella?' she yelled pulling her pistol and aiming it at his chest.

"Whoa Rebecca what?!?!" he stammered now fully in shock and a little frightened. "I'm one of the only people in this town that has NEVER worked for or considered working for umbrella put the gun down Rebecca why would I want to hurt you? Or have you forget less then an hour ago I stuck my neck out and saved your life!" he spat back at her. "Put the gun down Rebecca and lets talk about this." he said his voice back to hits normal even tone.

"I haven't forgotten anything" she retorted without lowering her weapon "But that could just be because someone wants me alive" she was suddenly realizing how ob surd this was sounding "How do I know I can trust you?" she asked in a shaky voice.

Jeremy still a little shaken up at having a gun pointed at him reached a shaky hand for his back pocket "I'm just going for my driver's license" he said quickly as Rebecca's finger quivered over the trigger. He pulled a dark leather wallet from his back pocket and tossed it at her. It landed open on the counter and by the light of the lanterns over head she read "Colorado Drivers License Markenson A. Jeremy Date of birth 1-5-1980 Date issued 6-6-1996 Class D" next to this information was a picture of a clearly younger Jeremy. She looked back up and said "Alright you are who you say you are ill buy that.... However what kinda high school kid could set up a place like this?" she questioned

He sighed leaning back against the wall and said "Me apparently" in a matter of fact kind of voice. "Look heres my story. I was sitting around at home watching TV when a bunch of zombies started circling my house. I didn't have any idea what they were or what the hell they wanted. So I just grabbed the few guns my Dad left threw them in my car and drove. It wasn't to long before I realized there was no clear way out of town. That's when one of those crazed baboon things jumped on the hood of my car. I swerved and recked. I was across the street from here so I ran in the front doors. There wasn't anybody here I looked and looked it was deserted so I came in here. Most of the guns were gone but there were a few left and a pretty good supply of ammunition so I decided to hold up here. I shut the metal door to the rest of the mall and sat down to wait. The phone was out and within a hour or so I herd those monsters roaming the rest of the mall. They tried to get in here but didn't put so much as a dent in that door. After that I decided I needed a place to stay. So I went out after I stopped hearing noises, killed the stragglers and started looking for supplies in the other shops. Everything I found I brought back here. I've been hiding out in here ever since that was about 3 or 4 days ago. I venture outside periodically trying to find a way to get out of this town, but so far I cant find any clear streets or working cars and I cant carry enough ammunition on my back to fight my way out without assistance. So that explain everything?" he finished taking a deep breathe.

"Ok.... ok" Rebecca repeated slowly holstering her gun "I don't know why but I just went off there. I'm so sorry I know your only trying to help but..... well I'm not sure who to trust right now." she said her voice wavering she felt like she was about to cry.

"In this situation anyone who's not the walking dead is trust worthy in my book" he said walking over to her, but I suppose accepting that someone as young as I am could have pulled something like this off is a bit hard to swallow.... even if your not all that much older than I am" he added with a smile.

She looked up at him. His blood flecked hair framed his face like torn curtains. There were tufts missing some looked as if they had been ripped, other's cut. His eyes were blood red, it was clear he had slept very little during the time he had been here. "Sorry this just seems to good to be true. I've been on the run for two days with no food, water, or sleep and then you show up and well" her voice trailed leaving the sentence unfinished.

"I guess it does seem a bit odd" he said "but I swear I was just up on the roof with my riffle looking for a working car anywhere I could get to when I saw you come out of the alley and that thing come after you. And well....." he paused turning away " the only thing I've been missing for the past few days is human contact." he finished walking back around the corner to continue refilling his equipment.

Rebecca ducked behind the counter again and retrieved a apple and the knife which upon closer examination under the light she realized was a open single bladed pocket knife. "Theres another store here that sells these things" she thought silently. She felt the blood rush up into her face. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid. She had let her emotions run wild and had nearly killed what she suspected to be the only other healthy human being in the city. She busied herself peeling the apple trying to keep her face hidden, to hide the shame of her outburst. "Jeremy?" she said tentatively.

"Yes" he said as he slid the clip into a 50 caliber desert eagle "need something?". His finger slid inside the trigger guard readying himself to turn and shoot if he needed to.

"I'm really sorry I usually don't act like that I guess I'm.....just" her voice faded away as she searched for a excuse big enough to cover up what had just happened. She had reached the conclusion that there wasn't one when Jeremy spoke up

"Tired?" he said inquisitively. Now satisfied he wasn't at risk of being shot he was realigning the scope on his riffle "you really look like need some sleep."

"I feel like I do to" she replied biting into the apple she had just finished peeling. She watched him realign his scope reload another pair of pistols he retrieved from under the counter and finally lay his ammo belt down. He then walked across the room to one of the cabinets that only a week ago she remember had held a variety of shot guns and retrieved a rolled up black sleeping bag and pillow.

"Here" he said tossing the sleeping bag at her. She caught it by the strap as she took a drink of water. She set down her water and threw her hands up to catch the pillow he threw at her next."Get some sleep.... and tomorrow we can start working a way to get out of this god forsaken place." he said.

"Thanks" she replied "suddenly realizing just how tired she truly was. She spread the sleeping bag on the floor and placed the pillow at the head of it. "Your sure nothing can get in here?" she asked.

"YES" he said forcefully "now get some rest I'm not going to let the boogie man get you" he said with a laugh.

"HA-HA" she spat after resisting a urge to laugh herself. She wasn't sure if down playing the magnitude of their situation was a wise idea but as he climbed up and extinguished the two battery powered lanterns she felt herself grinning. She felt the muscles in her face working extraordinarily hard as if they had forgotten how to do it. She was thinking of asking Jeremy were he learned to use a sniper riffle, but as he extinguished the propane lantern resting on the counter near her she felt irresistible waves of sleep rolling over her, and before she knew she was sleeping so soundly she didn't even hear the creak of the door as Jeremy slipped out.


	3. The Signal

The Signal

"Guess fear really does show you what people are really like." He thought unbolting the door and removing the wood guard. He stepped outside and silently shut and locked the door. He turned and faced the exit to the alley, it was clear, no zombies. He walked slowly to the end of the alley. He stuck his shotgun out of the alley and turned left then right. The street was deserted accept for a few rats and a corpse or two that still seemed to be moaning.

"I wonder what they want with that girl anyway." he thought to himself moving as quietly as he could down the street. "She doesn't seem dangerous. She's just a scared little kid..... a kid the same age as me". He had reached an intersection that was void of any cars or debris. He stopped and peered around the corner looking for any sign of something living or not, but here again was deserted. It was eerie, and unnerving for the city to be so quiet. He started running now simply wanting to do the job and get back.

He had reached the bottom of a steep incline. He started running up it as fast as he could. "Looks can be deceiving" he reminded him self. "Just a few minutes ago she nearly blew my head off" he thought as he reached the top of the hill. He pulled from a holster on his side another gun. Not one that shot to kill, but one that shot to signify, a flare gun. He aimed the gun high into the sky and fired. He holstered the gun turned and began running as hard as he could down the hill. His shadow elongated as the flare burst in the sky illuminating the world for a split second. He had reached the bottom of the hill now and was running faster then he thought he had ever run before. "The flare will draw anything with eyes to this place" he thought.... "What a stupid communications system.... nice one guys realy intelligent move there".

He had been right he saw zombies beginning to emerge from alleyways on both sides of the street. He pulled a 9mm pistol from a holster on his left side. He fired 3 times at a zombie blocking the alleyway down which lay the entrance to his hide out. "Thank god for silencer's" he thought silently. The zombie fell to the ground sending a pool of blood out around it. He turned for a second and stared west, and by divine providence saw a green flare on the horizon. The message had been received.

He darted down the alleyway but before he reached the door he heard the sounds of a hunter racing at him from the opposite end. "Dammit" he muttered firing at what little of the beasts body he could see. He emptied his entire clip into the thing and was readying his shot gun when he heard the tell tale thud of its life less corpse hitting the ground. He fished in his pocket and retrieved the key.

Once inside he relocked and bolted the door, then began moving silently down the hallway. He entered the room and saw that Rebecca didn't appear to have moved in his absence. He silently reignited the pro pain lantern on the counter. He looked down at Rebecca, he could hear her breathing slow and deep. He stared at for a moment "she's kinda cute" he thought. "She cant be that much older than I am. 21 the most" he decided.

Suddenly visions of what would happened to her if they survived and managed to escape from this city. Visions of the interrogations he had witnessed and in some cases helped perform sprang to the front of his mind. "If you could honestly call them interrogations" he thought with a grimace "to me it's just outright torture". He pushed the thoughts away. "No" he said quietly "i cant start thinking like that".

The words of his training officer and mentor drifted out of his memory. "We are agents, not kidnappers, we are only doing as instructed, you cant see your targets as men, women or children. You cant even see them as human beings, because if you do you will attach and it will destroy you to betray them as you know you ultimately must." Jeremy hadn't taken the statement seriously at the time. He had been young 15 or so at the time, but now he saw what he had meant. She's much prettier then in the target photographs they showed me" and for a second he imagined what was going to happen to her once he had completed his mission.

"So what do you think of them as?" he had asked

"As a objective a means to a end." His friend had replied.

"And the ends justify the means.... or rather what we do to the means?" he retorted

"That is for you to decide... this life is not for everyone but whether or not you like our methods we operate for the good of all man kind."

"Ruin the lives of a few to save many huh?" Jeremy had spat

"If that is the way you see it. Look if you want out say so now. You can still turn back and return to your life. You are under no obligation to stay."

But he had stayed. He had stayed for nearly 4 years of intensive training in everything from interrogation to sharp shooting. A thought flashed across his mind that Rebecca would probably be better off dead. "I could do it" he thought his hand resting on the side of the Desert Eagle he had left laying on the counter. "She would never feel a thing..... NO!" he shook his head attempting to clear it of such thoughts. "She is a target nothing more and I have to deliver her no matter what the cost" He moved swiftly away from the gun, produced another sleeping bag and pillow from the cabinet. He spread it out a few feet from Rebecca. He set the lantern his shot gun and the Desert Eagle next to his sleeping bag. He turned and twisted the handle to extinguish the lantern. As the final embers of the lanterns glow faded away he thought "Now I've got her, now I just have to find a way out of this hell hole."With that he rolled over and was almost instantly in as deep of a sleep as Rebecca.


	4. The Encounter

The Encounter

"See anything?" Rebecca asked?

"Yeah... a dead hunter" Jeremy replied squeezing the trigger of his riffle and watching the hunter fall dead with a slight pop.

"Where?" asked Rebecca looking over the side of the building they were standing on "i don't see it"

"it's about a half a block down.... one less thing we have to worry about" Jeremy replied rotating his riffle clockwise so he could look down the street in the opposite direction.

"Yeah cause one will really make a difference" Rebecca replied sarcastically.

"Every little bit helps" Jeremy said calmly "found one!" he cried "look down there" Rebecca peered through the scope and saw what looked like a car dealer ship. From what she could tell there were some cars that looked like they might run.

They had been out looking for just such a place since they had woken back up. It had rained during there sleep so hunters couldn't track them by scent nor did many of the zombies seem to want to venture outside. They had climbed to the top of a building several blocks from there hide out were Jeremy using his long range scope had scanned and found the car dealership. It was daylight now, they had decided to try to find a car, and if they did to try to make it out of town as fast as they could. Jeremy had said he thought he new a route that would be void of most debris.

"Alright lets check it out" Rebecca said removing her eye from the scope. Jeremy loaded the riffle onto his back, picked up his shot gun and headed for the fire escape they had climbed up to the roof. "So you think you'll be able to get one of those cars running?"

"Yes" Jeremy replied a little agitated.

"Hmmm sharp shooter, survival specialist, and now mechanic... is there anything you don't do?" Rebecca said in a sarcastic tone. "Guess I'm just the luckiest girl in the world to "happen" to run into you huh?"

"Alright" Jeremy pounded the rail of the fire escape with his fist as he rounded on Rebecca. "What have you got against me? Huh? I haven't been anything but nice or tried to do anything but help you and your acting like I stabbed you in the back. What is going on with you?"

"You're a little bit too talented for you own good" Rebecca replied slowly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jeremy spat back.

"That I don't trust you..... as I'm sure you know." Rebecca replied evenly.

"Fine don't trust me just fight with me!" Jeremy said angrily. "neither of us will make it out of this city alive without the other ones help. Once were out of here ill take you anywhere you want to go and then ill be gone forever, but right now we need to stop sniping at each other and focus on finding a way out of here."

"Well then lets get going shall we?" Rebecca asked.

They descended the fire escape and walked the 2 blocks to the car dealer in silence. Rebecca was beginning to wonder if she was reading to much into this. What if it was just luck that he found her. After all he was right. He hadn't done anything to her. "Yet" she reminded herself.

They reached the car dealership and began inspecting the cars that had only minor damage. There weren't very many cars that they were at all certain would run. "Here's one" Jeremy called beckoning to Rebecca from the next row of cars. "A Chevy.... doesn't have any obvious damage anyway."

"It looks better then most of the other anyway" Rebecca said inspecting it. "Which isn't saying much since theres only about 20 cars here" she paused staring at the building adjacent to the car lot. "Think the keys are inside?" Rebecca asked.

"I sure hope so.... but I wonder what else is in the building" he added questioningly. Jeremy opened the door to the small building and stepped in first switching on the flashlight on his shot gun. Aiming it at a counter that divided the room in two. There was a broken window in the back of the store and objects were scattered across the floor. Rebecca approached the counter behind Jeremy.

They both vaulted the counter. Jeremy ducked and began going through boxes looking for keys. Rebbecca stood wondering if whatever broke the window was still there. "YES" Jeremy hissed "Chevrolet keys right here" he exclaimed dangling them in front of her. "At that moment there was a crash overhead.

Rebecca spun around looking for the origin of the sound but saw nothing. She herd a crash behind her and a metallic click. She turned to see a hunter standing in a pile of debris apparently having just broken through the sealing. The hunter lunged at her, she raised her shotgun but it was instantly diverted as Jeremy jumped between them. A split second later she felt the gun leave her hands as they flew backwards over the counter in a whirlwind of blood. Jeremy twisted in the air and landed face down next to her. The hunter was flung off of them by the force of the motion. It recovered and jumped onto the counter. Rebecca pulled her 45 from its holster and opened fire as it ran. She hit it in one of it's legs. It fell to the ground writhing in pain. She fired 3 more shot's into it until it stopped moving.

"You OK?" Jeremy asked feeble attempting to hoist himself off the floor.

"Yeah I'm fi-" she began as she turned but was instantly silenced. Blood was gushing from 6 wounds. Three on his chest, three on this left leg. "Oh my god!" her breathing accelerated a bit "come on we have to get back and bandage these wounds" she said kneeling down and pulling his left arm across her shoulders. Can you walk?"

"Yes" Jeremy said shakily "but we better hurry I don't know how far I can make it. I'm sorry my god damn gun jammed or I would have dropped that thing before it had a chance to attack." Jeremy said stepping forward with Rebecca's help "great timing huh?"

"Your apologizing when your the one who nearly got sliced in half?" Rebecca said in a tone of disbelief. She kicked aside the shotgun she had lost during the fall. There was no way she could assist him and carry that at the same time. "I guess I was wrong about you. You really are only trying to help me." Rebecca said as they reached the far side of the street.

"If we live through this I swear ill forgive you for everything" Jeremy said with a weak laugh. He handed her his Desert Eagle "use this... my visions starting to blur.... that's not a good sign is it?"

"No" Rebecca replied slowly "it's not good at all"

_**Alright, I'm working on the next chapter but its turning out to be really long so im not sure how im going to split it.... It also contains alot of train of thought stuff and some crucial character developement which results in it being kinda hard to following in places, so im trying to work all of that out before i post it. By the way i dont have all the chapter names worked out yet but heres the basic timeline in chapters of how long this story will be....**_

_**Next chapter is pretty much a jeremy internal conflict about what he's going to do once they escape**_

_**Chapter 6 is the escape itself**_

_**chapter 7 is were Jeremy's employers as well as there intentions will be revealed**_

_**Chapter 8 i cant say since telling would spoil the suprise on that one**_

_**Chapter 9 is Rebecca striking back against umbrella (Chris and Jill enter in that chapter)**_

_**Chapter 10 is another one were it would be hard to hint at without spoiling it**_

_**Chapter's 11 - X(not sure how many this will wind up being) are up in the air, that's were this story hit's a cross road i have'nt ventured down yet.**_

_**I also plan to do at least 1 or 2 epilogue chapter's  
**_


	5. The Memory

_**Alright it took me an entire week to write this chapter and the next. I'm posting them both today because they tie into each other. I'm sorry for any spelling or grammatical error's. I'm also sorry that both of these chapters might be a little hard to follow. I rewrote this chapter 3 time's trying to find a way that worked well but all the information in here is kind of important to the over all plot so if you have any questions feel free to ask me in a review... as always i don't own resident evil RR please and chapter 7 is on the way. **_

The Memory

"This will hurt..... a lot." Rebecca said

"I know ah......ahhhhhh" Jeremy replied his voice rising throwing his head back and mashing his teeth as Rebecca pressed a alcohol soaked rag to the claw slashes on his chest. They had made it back only meeting a few zombies. The trip had not been easy Jeremy's blood loss had made it hard for him to walk and the last 2 blocks he had woven in and out of conscientiousness.

When they had returned Jeremy was fighting to stay conscious he had shed the shirt, or what was left of the shirt he was wearing and rapped it around his chest as a make shift bandage to stem the flow of blood. The leg wounds were smaller so he placed a dry towel over them trying to force them to clot faster.

After a while the leg wounds stopped bleeding and Rebecca had rapped them in bandages. They were shallow and nothing to be concerned about. The chest wounds didn't seem life threatening but they were more worrisome.

"Feeling any better? How's your vision, still blurry?" Rebecca asked kindly, taking the cloth off the cuts.

"Still weak, and my visions is better now thanks." Jeremy replied through gritted teeth as the last of the residual alcohol drained away from his wounds. "What about you, you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine..... thanks to you..... I don't know why but I freeze when I see those thing's.... it just reminds me of..." her voice faded, she turned away and started digging in a box of medical supplies for a roll of bandages.

"You fought at Spencer's mansion didn't you?" Jeremy inquired "Were there any of those hunter things there?"

"Yeah lot's of them and zombies and....." she failed again to finish her sentence. The thought of the mansion had brought back the memories of her team and of..... the Snake, Richard, Wesker.

"It's alright you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Jeremy said softly "I saw the news.... you must have lost some friends there." Jeremy added immediately wishing he hadn't. This comment seemed tact less even to him. "I'm lousy at comforting people" he thought "then again it isn't something I have had the opportunity to do a lot" he thought silently. "Sorry that had to have sounded"

"It's ok.... your right" Rebecca said meekly approaching him with a roll of bandages. "I did loose a lot of good friends there, but I plan on paying umbrella back for that." Rebecca said applying the bandages.

"I guess you guy's weren't crazy after all....Hard to believe umbrella let all this happen...... Do you have anywhere you can go after we get out of here friends or family?"

"No.... all my friends were here and I have no family." Rebecca replied "How about you, you got a plan once we get out of here?"

"Nope. I was supposed to start at Colorado state in a few weeks..... but I guess that's kinda out of the question now."

"What did you wanna be?" Rebecca asked still preoccupied with the memory of her lost teammates.

"Ironically..... a biochemical engineer." Jeremy said laughing "now I think I might just spend my life hunting down the ones that did this.

Jeremy was shocked at how cool and natural his voice sounded. All but the final statement of this conversation had been a lie. "Rebecca if only you knew.... I do have a plan once we make it out of here, and I will hunt down those responsible...... I'm just afraid you might not be alive to see it". "Are you working for umbrella.... I don't trust you" Rebecca's words floated out of his memory. "She shouldn't trust me" he thought silently "she should be trying to get as far away from me as possible". He suddenly wished the hunter's wounds were deeper even deadly. The thought of betraying her made his stomach turn. "I guess I was wrong about you..... you really are only trying to help me." with that sentence she had sealed her fate. It was up to him now, turn her in and complete the mission, or let her live and fail.... Failure was not tolerated were he came from. His penalty if they found out would be dire. He suddenly wished he was far away, or at least that she was far from him. He stood up, he needed to be alone right now, he needed time to think to clear his head and develop a plan. He walked across the room and began rummaging through his pilfered goods.

"What are you looking for?" Rebecca asked "here let me help you."

"Here" Jeremy said handing her some rather wrinkled but clean clothes "your's are soaked in blood"

"Thanks" Rebecca said

Jeremy walked to the metal sheet acting as a barrier to the rest of the world placed his hands on 2 handles at the base of the door and flung it up.

"What are you" Rebecca began.

"Within a couple of hours we will be out of here for good one way or the other.... The water was still running last time I checked.... You know were the bathrooms are?"

"Yeah..... will you?" Rebecca started

Jeremy smiled "I will be fine for 30 minutes while you go and clean up.... don't worry about me Becca.... if I'm strong enough to lift that door I think I can hold a riffle" he said placing a hand on his winchester on the table.

"Thanks" she said again departing for the bathroom.

Rebecca kicked the door open brandishing the Desert Eagle expecting to see a zombie lumbering at her slowly dragging its feet. The bathroom had a surprisingly small amount of damage. She switched off her flash light as she stepped inside. One of the emergency lights seemed to have remained on somehow. "Backup generator probably" Rebecca thought. She checked all the stalls and finding no enemy's she holstered her gun, laid her clean cloths on the sink next to her and turned on the water.

She was still immersed in thoughts of what had transpired in July at the Spencer mansion. She was thinking of all the friends she had lost because of Wesker's betrayal, and how at least one of them was completely her fault. "Richard" she muttered splashing water on her face. She rubbed at a smug of blood on her jaw. The memory of Richards blood gushing from the snakes bite wound pushed itself to the fore ground of her mind. Then the memory of him lying dead in a crumpled heap on the floor. Then the memory of Jeremy saving her life just hours before emerged. "that would have made two friends I let die" Rebecca muttered her eyes starting to burn.

"She pulled her T-shirt off, it clung to her skin were the blood had congealed on it. She tossed it aside and looked into the cracked mirror. It was the first time in day's she had seen her reflection. Her hair was dirty and oily and in some places matted with more congealed blood. Her stomach was covered in cuts and bruises. Some were old and nearly healed, other's were red and sensitive to the touch.

She bent down and stuck her head as best she could under the tap, trying to wash the blood out of her hair. She was still immersed in thought's of her friends. How Joseph had been eaten alive, Richard mangled by a snake, Enrico shot by one of there own. She had nearly died too., and it was all because of Wesker. Wesker had fained being there friend. Wesker who was only in it for himself, who didn't care who he hurt or who died so long as he came out on top. She balled her hands into fists seizing large tuft's of hair.

She removed her head from the water and straightened up. As she shook her hair back out of her eyes she saw something in the mirror that made her let out a blood curdling hair raising scream. Wesker the reason for her teams death, the reason for the town's death was standing behind her staring at her reflection though his trade mark aviator's. "Why is he.... how did he" her thought's were racing "what was he going to do?"

She turned drawing her gun, she fired three erratic shots. One flew across the room blasting part of the wall away and sending shattered tile in all directions. The second lodged in the sealing, and the third stuck in the stall door which burst open to reveal nothing.

Rebecca's breathing slowed. She had imagined him. She had wanted him to be there so she could kill him. She had wanted it so badly. She leaned back against the sink. Slowly she sank to the floor and, drew her leg's close to her chest. She began to sob uncontrollable. The full weight of all that she had seen fell in upon her. She found herself having to restrain. Having to fight and force down the howl of misery fighting to get out of her.

"REBECCA" she heard a familiar voice yell as the door burst open. Jeremy was standing there with a riffle raised "Rebecca I heard you scream are yo" he was silenced by the sight of her.


	6. The Choices

The Choices

Jeremy's POV (as he watches Rebecca leave for the bathroom)

"What a mess" he thought "I can't fall for her...... No..... I wont.....". "But you already have" said a voice in the back of his mind "or if you haven't why did you jump in that hunter's way". "I can't..... there's no way". He had given up any chance he might have ever had at a "normal life" a long time ago. When he decided to stay, train.... and fight. The realization of how grievous a mistake it had been suddenly struck him. He had given his life away, any chance to have real friends outside of other agent's, any chance to have a wife.... a family.

With this last thought he turned and slammed his fist onto the counter nearest him. "a kid.... thats all I was was a kid... I was 14 for god's sake when they recruited me..... now my whole life's gone because of a choice I was to young to make". He had wanted to be a hero, wanted to be great, wanted to be remembered. Now he realized that even if he did things of note no one would ever know who did them, and those that member him would hate him for the atrocities he had committed, and even those would never know his real name.

"Some agent I am" he said aloud "Rule number 1 never attach to a target.... What do I do on my first solo mission? Fall in love with one" he put his back to the counter and slid slowly to the floor. He wondered what life would have been like if he hadn't agreed. He wondered what it would have been like to have met Rebecca under different circumstances. Would he still like her? Would she.... does she like me?" he pondered.

He shook his head banishing the thoughts of the life that he gave up and the life that might have been. He rummaged in the box and found himself a clean plain black T-shirt. "I've made my bed now I have to lay in it" he thought pulling the shirt over his head. "Couple of great choices I have here.... hand a women who's never wronged me, who has spent her whole life trying to help people, who I....love...." the last word seem to echo in his mind..... love..... love...."I've known her less then 3 day's how can I...." but the train of thought was broken as he remembered his mother telling him that love wasn't rational. It wasn't something that could be understood or explained. It was something that could only be felt. He forced the thought's from his mind. "My only other option would be to let her go and say that she escaped or was killed..... but that's no good you can't hide from them they have nearly unlimited resources.... No one can hid-"

His thought's were interrupted as he heard Rebecca scream, he grabbed his riffle from the counter were it lay and ran as hard as he could towards the door. "REBECCA Rebecca I heard you scream are yo-" but he fell silent after taking only a few step's inside.

She was crying uncontrollable, he had been ready for a hunter, a zombie ….. or worse..... He hadn't been ready for this. This was one situation were he didn't know what he should do. He had the urge to comfort her, to say something nice... tell her that everything would be alright, but he couldn't. He felt so helpless..... "She needs me and I flake out on her now of all times" he thought.

Out of the sheer desire to seem to be doing something he knelt beside her and put his arm's around her. She turned threw her arm's around him and began to sob uncontrollable into his T-shirt. She cried word's he couldn't discern as her cries echoed around the bathroom. "It will be ok Rebecca" he heard himself saying lamely.

"How do you know.... how do you know we're going to make it out of this alive..... and what if you die" Rebecca said raising her head up and staring directly into Jeremy's eyes.

"I just know.... trust me Becca I promise I'll protect you...... and I never break a promise to a friend" Jeremy said with all the confidence he could insert into it. The very fact that he was playing on her trust even now as he was set to betray her made him feel lower than he had ever felt in his life. "I know it's cliché, but I've already proved it Becca.... I will protect you no matter what the cost." he said with a bit more certainty this time.... this time he wasn't lying.... that was one promise he intended to keep.

Rebecca sniffed slightly. She was still staring at him. Before he knew what was happening before he had even recovered from the shock of seeing her like this, she had pulled him down and kissed him. It was as if someone had prodded his brain with a live wire. Suddenly he knew.... he couldn't betray her not like this. There was no way, but slowly out of the chaos and racing thoughts a plan was emerging in his mind.

Some of Jeremy's concern and inner confusion must have showed on his faced since a moment later Rebecca asked "Are you alright?"

"I wasn't expecting that and well....." he bowed his head feeling his face burn "I've never kissed a girl before."

Rebecca smiled and laughed weakly "How was it?"

"I get the feeling I wasn't very good at it" he said with a slight smile.

"You weren't but it's alright.... Thank you Jeremy I needed that" she said standing up.

"You all better now?" Jeremy asked standing up.

"Yeah.... but..... stay..... I just don't want to be alone right now" she added quickly as a confused expression appeared Jeremy's face.

"Alright.... ill be right here" he said retrieving the riffle he had discarded near the door. He stood away from her facing the door. It took all his will power not to turn and stare at her as she changed.

His mind was still refusing to slow down... He didn't think he had ever been this confused in his life. He was trying to sort out what had just happened. It didn't seem to make any since what so ever. However what lay ahead seemed the more pressing matter. He squinted focusing on the door handle trying to force his mind to the job at hand, but it simply refused to work for him. It was to busy going over all the lies everything he had done to deceive Rebecca and how now was the ultimate test. He had the choice now.... His head went back to wondering what it would be like to have a normal life with Rebecca. The riffle trembled in his hand's he held it to the light searching it for something. He found what he was looking for at last. A place on the wood were a name was once engraved. Now through years of work and sanding the name was worn nearly off. However by the dim light in the bathroom he made out the name "Jeremy Hollic".

"My real name..... it's been a long time since anyone's called me that." His name had been his right of passage. To become a agent he had to become a ghost, a nobody, a man without an island. He suddenly wanted to tell Rebecca, to tell her everything who.... what he was and why he was there, and most of all what great danger she was in by staying there.

"Alright I am Ready" he heard Rebecca say. He wanted to tell her but his mouth like his brain seemed to be refusing to cooperate. His training had done it's job, he knew he couldn't tell her. However now he was sure that he couldn't lie to her anymore.

"Alright let's go arm up get a little something to eat and then we will get out of here." Jeremy said opening the door. It was close to twilight now, they knew with the darkness came the monster's time, but they had no choice it was now or never.


	7. The Escape

_**Sorry this chapter is so long but i couldn't find any other way to write it without cutting out important stuff.... But it's actiony so it should keep your attention. **_

The Escape

They were standing on the street in front of the mall. It was dusk now and as the last ray's of the sun vanished over the horizon, monster's began appearing from every conceivable hiding place along the street. They were moving as quickly and silently as they could. The car wasn't far, but there route was anything but clear.

"Watch out!" Rebecca hissed firing a controlled burst of gun fire from her FAMAS and blasting away 2 zombies that had just emerged from a door way. "How much further?" she inquired.

"Two blocks give or take." Jeremy responded "How much ammo you got left for that thing anyway?"

"The rest of this clip and 1 more.... then were down to just hand guns and your riffle." Rebecca had been adamant that Jeremy refrain from using the last shot gun they had "It might reopen your chest wounds with the kick back then we'll really be in trouble... Just use the hand guns will you.... please?" He had agreed but had outright refused to leave his riffle. He had told Rebbecca he just liked having it so he could use the scope.... He knew she didn't fully believe him, but much to his relief she dropped the subject.

There were four or five zombies standing near the chain linked fence that bordered the car lot. They were attempting to open the gate. Rebecca emptied what little ammo remained in her current cartridge into them. "One more clip for this" she said reloading "How much do you have left"

"2 8 shot clips for the forty four.... 1 14 round clip for the 38 and 1 14 round clip for my desert eagle..... I've got a few riffle shots left but they wont do much good against a horde. They had reached the Chevrolet, it was still intact. "Dammit... I must have dropped the key's in the fall. …. give me a second Rebecca I think I know were they landed." Without waiting to hear her protests he ran to the buildings entrance.

He entered shining a flashlight around the room with his left hand while holding the 38 in his right. He scanned the room but saw only the dead hunter's carcass to the right. He approached a pool of dried blood he knew to be his own and scanned looking for a hint of silver. The memory of the events that led to those injury's was still blurry to him. A crash.... his gun jamming...... then diving in the way for fear that the thing would hurt Rebecca. At the time he had thought it was his training.... Protect the target at all costs.... but now he knew it had nothing to do with training or his mission.

At last he spotted the key's laying several feet away. The silver of the metal was completely coated in blood. He retrieved them, then headed for the door. He stopped for a moment and thought of Rebecca's lost shot gun. However dismissed it in the vein hope that they wouldn't need to shoot anything else on there way out.

He pressed the unlock button as he returned to the car, the lights flashed and he herd the doors click as they unlocked. The car was small, black with a long nose and short back end. It had only two doors and a solid metal body. He tossed his riffle in the back seat turned and inserted the key's in the ignition as Rebecca climbed in the passengers side. "Are you ready Rebecca?" he asked simultaneously starting the car and checking the fuel gage.

"I'm just fine..... I hope you've got some moves when it comes to driving cause something tells me we wont get out of here without some manner of confrontation." Rebecca said fastening her seat belt.

"Don't worry" he said with a wicked grin. He pulled out of the parking slot slowly and drove up to the edge of the ramp that led out of the lot and stopped. He put the car into park turned in his seat leaned across and kissed Rebecca lightly on the cheek. He then turned and fastened his own seat belt.

"What was that for?" Rebecca asked blushing slightly.

"So that if we die I can say I kissed a girl twice" Jeremy replied with a laugh gunning the engine up a time or two and placing his right hand on the gear shift.

"For what it's worth.... that was better" Rebecca replied with a laugh.

"Good enough for me" he said throwing the car straight to drive and punching the accelerator to the floor. The back tires spun briefly on the pavement before the car rocketed forward onto the street.

Rebecca was quite glad she had put her seatbelt on as she felt the front of the car dip and the back tires skid across the pavement with no traction in a fish tail as they rounded the intersection of Adam's and High street. They flew down the street at over 50 miles per hour the head lights illuminating all manner of creatures emerging from there hiding places on all sides. Rebecca clutched at the FAMAS in her arm's as a zombie walked in front of them. Jeremy simply pressed the gas a bit harder. They slammed into the terrifying creature sending it rolling over the top and off the back of the car.

They sped down several more street's each time turning at an intersection were there direct route was blocked by debris. Rebecca knew they were close to the city limit's, close to freedom, close to the end of this nightmare.... When it happened. Evan before the headlights fully illuminated the enormous monster she knew what it was. A tyrant was standing in the middle of the road. Jeremy swerved attempting to drift around it. However the back end spun out of control and collided with a dark lamp pole. Rebecca felt her heart skip a beat as the car's engine died and the Tyrant roared in it's triumph.

"Shit" Jeremy yelled as he tried to restart the car. "Ill hold him off you try to get this thing started" he said throwing open his door and sprinting to intercept the monster before it reached them. Rebecca recovered from the daze the crash had put her in. She unbuckled and pulled her self across the middle console until she was sitting in the driver's seat. She turned the key, but the engine still refused to start.

"God dammit what could be wrong?" she said franticly. She could hear Jeremy emptying what little ammo he had into the monstrosity, she knew it wouldn't be enough they had needed a rocket launcher to the kill the last one. She suddenly noticed something. In Jeremy's state of panic at the sight of the Tyrant he had forgotten to the shift the car back to park. "That's it" she cried attempting to move it, but the button to unlock it seemed to be locked. She shook her head violently trying to clear it "Keep it together Becca" she said aloud. She pressed the brake down to the floor shifted to park and turned the key.

The engine roared back to life along with the headlights revealing the scene unfolding in front of her. Jeremy was sitting up several feet to the right of her. He seemed to have tripped in the dark. The Tyrant was walking towards him slow and steady. Jeremy seemed to have run out of ammo. Rebecca stepped out of car and aimed the assault riffle at the Tyrant. She pulled back the safety, pressed the trigger and emptied the last of the ammo into the beast.

It seemed to do the trick the tyrant did not fall dead but it began to kneel and seemed to be in pain. "That was brilliant Becca" Jeremy gasped as he ran back to the passenger's side out of breathe. He tossed the 44 and the 38 aside as he jumped into the passengers seat. "Your a incredible shot you know?" he added as she discarded the useless FAMAS and climbed back into the driver's seat.

"Now is not the time to try to sweet talk me Jeremy.... and thank you" replied Rebecca shifting into drive and flooring it. As they passed the still kneeling Tyrant Rebecca wondered if that had been enough to kill it. This thought was banished a moment later as she saw in the right wing mirror to her horror that the tyrant was not only still very much alive it was chasing them. She accelerated slightly, they were doing 60 now and the tyrant was keeping it's distance.

As they approached the city limit's Rebecca saw something that made her blood turn to ice. There were zombies... hundreds of them all standing directly at the exit to the city. There was no way they could get through. They didn't have enough ammo or time to fight all of them and the car would never survive.

"Speed up Becca" Jeremy said timidly as the army of zombies came into sight, but Rebecca was frozen. An army in front of them and a monstrosity behind them. "This is the end... we came this far to die" was all Rebecca could think of. "Speed up!" Jeremy said again with more urgency this time. She still made no reply or made any motion. "REBECCA" Jeremy yelled lunging across trying to keep the steering wheel steady.

Rebecca felt her leg act of it's own accord. She stomped on the gas pedal and watched the speedometer turn over. It went from 60 to 70 in a second then from 70 to 90 in another. It maxed out at 120, however to spite the speed at which they were traveling time seemed to stand still. The nose of the car collided with the first wall of zombies sending them flying. Time was slowing down even as Rebecca watch them roll over the hood and roof and off the back of the car. She saw the wind shield begging to crack heard the bumper bending and the hood denting. Then suddenly the thumping and groaning and pounding of foot step's stopped.

There was nothing.... nothing but open road in front of them no zombies... no hunters and no Tyrants just pavement. She looked in the rear view mirror and could see the wall of zombies with the Tyrant standing outside of it staring after them, but the image was shrinking... it simply got tinier and tinier until she could see nothing of the desolate city and all that remained of it was the smears of blood and cracks to the windshield.

Rebecca kept there speed over 100 MPH for several more minutes. However after a short while she began slowing down. Eventually when she felt she couldn't stand it anymore, she brought the car to a complete stop jumped out of the driver's seat ran over placing her hands on the guard rail and vomited into field to there right.

Jeremy placed his hands on either side of her face and pulled her hair back as she acted as if she might be sick again, but she simply turned and leaned her back against the guard rail.

"I'm sorry but.... I don't think I have ever been that scared in my entire life..... and that is saying something." Rebecca said her voice quivering slightly.

"It's alright Rebecca.... you don't have to be afraid anymore...... it's over..... it's finally over." Jeremy said though with little conviction in his voice.

"Do you really believe that?" Rebecca asked apprehensively.

"No" Jeremy admitted "But were alive and out of the city.... that's something isn't it? Besides whatever happens next we've got each other."

Rebecca turned and stared at him "Do you mean?"

"Yes..... I'm going to help you take down Umbrella.... were ever you go I'll go Rebecca I....." His mouth was suddenly very dry and his throat constricted but he forced the last two words out. "lo...love... you" his voiced quivered with ever word. "I told you I would protect you..... and I always will."

Rebecca was still staring at him, she had not expected him to say that... she had never even suspected that he felt. But something about the way he said, the way he was acting told her that he wasn't lying. She suddenly realized that she felt the same. She put her arm's around his neck and laid her head on his chest. "I love you too" she cooed softly.

This moment was not a moment of pure ecstasy or triumph for Jeremy. As she leaned in on him the thought's of what lay ahead tormented his mind. They had escaped with there lives.... now he could no longer put off the decision he had been battling with for day's. He felt tear's rolling down his face as he suddenly realized there was no decision to make. He had to turn her in, and just hope the idea he had in the bathroom would be good enough.

"Something wrong?" Rebecca asked looking up at him "why are you crying?"

"It.....It's nothing Rebecca don't worry about it..... ill drive now so you can get some sleep". With that they broke apart, Jeremy now absorbed in thought's of the monumental task that he was now facing. He sat down behind the steering wheel as Rebecca climbed in.

"Which direction are we headed?" she asked

"West"

"How far to the next town you think?"

"Very.... you might as well try an sleep a bit on the way.... it will be daylight before we get there."

"Alright..... if you need someone to keep you awake or if you want me to drive for a bit just say so." she said leaning her seat back and trying to get comfortable. With that Rebecca fell silent leaving Jeremy to ponder and torment himself as he prepared to make what he thought would replace choosing to become an agent in the first place, as the biggest mistake of his life.

_**Alright i didn't intend to have this done so soon but well i just got on a roll and couldn't stop.... This is the first scene with alot of action in it so please let me know how i did on that. Next chapter we find out a bit more about Jeremy's and what his deal is... but next chapter will probably take me a while because there's going to be alot of content in it. **_


	8. The Rogue Agent

_** Alright this chapter is pretty lengthy so you might want to get something to drink. Thanks to everyone who is reviewing my story... Let me know.... I'm kinda concerned how this chapter turned out, i had to cut some content out, in the interest of keeping it short enough to read in one sitting.**_

They drove for what seemed like hour's. Jeremy sat in the driver's seat his left hand controlling the steering wheel, his right resting lazily on the gear shift. Rebecca had fallen into a deep and peaceful sleep, Jeremy was listening to her slow deep breathing and wondering when the next good night's sleep he would have would be. He had turned the radio on very low and tuned it to the designated frequency.

He wondered how far they had gone as they passed another 65 mile per hour speed limit sign. Evan though Jeremy knew there were no police within 300 miles of here he had been driving 55 since taking over for Rebecca. He wanted to make this moment last, this moment felt peaceful, almost like they were two normal people..... normal lover's.

At last he herd it. A quiet metallic clicking was coming over the radio. Jeremy did not understand morris code but they had explained in his briefing what the signal meant. Now that he herd the signal he was to send off the second shot from his flare gun to give away there position. He didn't stop immediately upon hearing it, he drove for several more minutes savoring the last few moment he thought Rebecca would ever consider him a friend. Then slowly he pressed the brake pedal down.

The car slowed to a halt in the middle of the road. He put the car in park opened his door and stepped out. The night was cold with a clear sky and a full moon. He pulled from his back pocket the flare gun he had used to give the signal he had acquired the target raised it high over his head and fired it. He waited a few minutes then fired it again. He sat back in the driver's seat and shut his door.

As the door slammed he herd Rebecca stir in the passenger's seat. "Were are we?" she asked yawning and beginning to stretch in her seat.

"Middle of nowhere" Jeremy replied his voice sounding unnaturally subdued.

"Need me to drive for a while?" Rebecca asked kindly "you have to be tired.... You've had less sleep then me the last few day's."

"No" Jeremy said still subdued, he could see distant light's on the horizon now, they were on there way. Rebecca her eye's fixed on him didn't seem to have noticed.

"Jeremy what's wrong..... Is there something you wanna tell me?" Rebecca asked seeming a little worried.

"Just...... whatever happens now...... just know I really do love you..." He said his voice sounding horse and still unnatural. The helicopter's were close now, close enough that Rebecca heard and turned her attention to them.

Rebecca stepped out of the car and watched.... The helicopter's were little more than 100 yards away now. She was wondering how they had found them. There were two of them. Neither seemed to have any logo's on them she wondered who they belonged too. One of them sat down in a field about 10 feet to there right and she saw 3 men step out. They looked official. She didn't think they were Umbrella. She turned to ask Jeremy what he had meant with his last comment when she felt one of the men grab her arm.

"Hey what are you!" Rebecca began but a second man grabbed her other arm and simultaneously removed the handgun from her side. Before she could protest further she felt her hand's behind her being handcuffed together behind her back. Then someone placed a leather hood over her head. She started screaming wildly as the 3 men dragged her back towards the helicopter. Screaming for Jeremy, for anyone to help her against these kidnapper's. Finally she felt her back hit something metal and she judged by the thunder over head they had gotten her to the helicopter. One of the men raised the hood up enough to reveal her mouth as a second one pressed a rag soaked in something over her mouth. She tried not to breathe but after so long she succumbed. The last thought she had as she felt herself loosing consciousness was "chloroform".

Jeremy stood on the other side of the car watching this scene play out. He had such a strong urge to run and help her his extremity's were shaking with the effort of fighting the urge. Finally as he saw one of the men chloroform her he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Ready to go?" asked an agent Jeremy knew all to well.

"Yeah Michael.... I'm ready." Jeremy replied walking with him to the second helicopter. Once they had climbed in side Michael gave the signal to take off for the base. "Hey Michael..... can I ask you a favor?" Jeremy said over the headphones once they were in the air.

"Sure what do you need?" Michael asked sitting across from him in the back as they flew northwest.

"First turn off the monitor..... I don't want anyone listening in on this."

Michael looked a little puzzled. It wasn't like Jeremy to keep secrets but he reached up and flipped a switch on the side of the head phones. "There it's off..... what's wrong Jeremy?" Michael asked a hint of concern in his voice. Michael and Jeremy had trained and been stationed together ever since Michael's induction. Michael was older he had been 19 when he had joined. Jeremy had been 16 then. Never the less they shared many common interests and Michael thought Jeremy was a little less depraved and a little more humane then a lot of the other agent's he dealt with. In fact Jeremy was probably the only agent Michael would have really called his friend.

"Your going to handle Rebecca's interrogation correct?"

"Yes.... well not personally... I have assigned agent Patterson to do it under my supervision." Michael saw Jeremy's eyes dilate. Eric Patterson was a agent who had spent his whole life training in interrogation. He was highly effective, and completely depraved. He felt no sympathy, no remorse, and no empathy for his victim's. He had no limit's on what he would do. Electricity, drug's, knives it didn't matter to him. As long as he got the information. Michael watched as the color drained from Jeremy's face, he thought he knew what was coming next.

"Do you think you could.... assign someone else to do it? Someone who.... who" Jeremy's voice trailed away. Jeremy felt Michael watching him as he looked away trying to hide his face ineffectively. He knew what his friend was thinking, and a second later his thought was confirmed.

"You haven't gotten too close to her have you?" Michael asks soberly. "Rule number 1 nev-" He began

"Yeah I know Rule number 1 never attach to a target, Rule number 2 never sleep with a target, Rule number 3 never leave any witnesses, Rule number 4 never leave loose end's and Rule number 5 never screw over your partner." he rambled off "i know them all Michael and YES I broke rule number 1, I care about her that's why I'm asking you as a favor to a friend that has been there for you since induction, will you please let someone else, hell anyone else handle her interrogation?" Jeremy finished turning back to stare at his friend.

Michael sighed "You have been there for me though a lot... and believe me I would if I could.... but it's out of my hands the director ordered this one... He wants that information one way or another. Maybe if you talk to him he might consider." Michael looked worried "Jeremy you know you cant just" but he fell silent he seemed to have decided not to press the point. He and Jeremy had had the same instructor. That was were they had gotten the rules from, but Michael was beginning to suspect that Jeremy had done more than just attach.

"You really think the director might consider my request?" Jeremy asked hopefully.

"i don't know...." With that they lapsed into silence for the remainder of the flight. Michael had thought of asking Jeremy if he had broken rule number 2 but decided it would only be adding insult to injury.

They landed at the base about 20 minutes later. Jeremy had taken off his headset and unbuckled his seatbelt before the helicopter had even landed. He bounded out of the helicopter passing the 2 men now carrying Rebecca towards the door, and headed straight for the area he knew all to well.

The sign over the door read "Interrogation Room A". Jeremy knocked on the door three time's. A deep voice from inside said "this interrogation is closed to all personnel unless authorized" .

"It's me.... Jeremy" he called back recognizing the deep curt voice of there leader. Director Danny Frost was not a particularly kind man Jeremy knew but for Rebecca's sake he still needed to try. "I need to talk to you" he said a moment later. There was a metallic click and the door swung open.

"You don't have to justify yourself your the case agent of coarse your authorized to sit in if you wish" He backed up allowing Jeremy into the observation room. It was a small room with a large one way mirror on one wall that allowed the observers to watch the interrogation of whoever was in the room next to them. "I must say I am surprised to see you here. I expected you to head straight for the commissary and then for a nice long nap. But anyway what do you need to talk to me about Jeremy?... by the way congratulations on completing your first solo mission....." He finished clapping Jeremy on the back in a fatherly sort of way.

Jeremy felt his heart sinking, this should have been a happy moment, instead he wasn't sure he had ever been so miserable in his life. "The truth is I need to talk to you about the interrogation methods you intend to use on Rebecca.... Sir I would li-"

"Oh it is Miss Chamber's that you have brought back to us... that is excellent any of the former S.T.A.R.S members would have sufficed but she will be easier to brake." Frost said with delight.

"I would like to request that you command whoever interrogates her to refrain from using unnecessary force.... Sir" Jeremy said very fast. The director turned his attention away from the window were he was watching the men place Rebecca's limp form upright in the straight backed chair. Apart from Jeremy referring to him as "sir" which was far enough out of character to be concerned, it concerned him that Jeremy one of his most promising young interrogators was asking that they not use the tactic's that made them so efficient at collecting intelligence.

"Why?" he asked "we need all the information she can give us to try to take down umbrella....." Frost replied looking very concerned. "What's really bothering you Jeremy.... would you like to do the interrogation yourself?"

"No I just.... don't..... don't want to see her hurt that's all." Jeremy replied his voice a little higher than normal. "I would just rather they refrain from anything that might prove lethal.... she may be valuable to us in other way's...."

"You don't want to see her hurt?" Frost repeated his eye's flaring "have you forgotten what it is we do here?" He said impatiently "Have you forgotten why Langley pretends this branch of the C.I.A doesn't even exist.... It is because we do things that people don't want to know about, we protect them from the enemy's they don't even see. You have assisted in dozen of interrogations that brought about the gathering of valuable intelligence that saved thousands of lives.... Now your telling me you lost the stomach for it?" He said his voice rising.

"I suddenly realized that I think I put my trust in the wrong person....." he said quietly "i never once doubted that the person we were torturing" his voice raised in volume and power on the last word "deserved everything we did to them..... but not her....she hasn't done anything to deserve what that maniac is going to do to her..... in fact it was her and her team that started the same fight that we are now taking up..... The point is I assumed they deserved it without ever asking what they did..... not anymore..... Now please tell Patterson to act like a human being for once in his life and keep the violence and insanity to a minimum." Jeremy finished breathing deeply.

Frost looked taken aback by this sudden declaration. Still Jeremy had a valid point. Frost was not a kind man.... but he was at least fair. He walked to the intercom on the wall and pressed the button. "Eric keep the trick's to a minimum with this one.... no electricity, no drug's, no knives and if you could keep the beating to a minimum."

"You mean with kid glove's!" Patterson began outraged "but Danny" he began

"That is an order.... Now she's waking up..... time to work" Frost finished releasing the intercom button. "Happy now" he asked Jeremy looking through the glass were Patterson was now talking to Rebecca.

"No...... I could have gotten the information no problem.... she trust's.....trusted me.... until your men came in and fucked everything up!" Jeremy spat watching Patterson stand up. Jeremy could tell his temper was rising.... Rebecca was not being fourth coming....Jeremy couldn't blame her.

"We fucked everything up?!?!" Frost said outraged "I think your letting your emotions cloud your judgment Marken."

"HOLLIC!!!" Jeremy roared taking a step towards Frost "MY NAME IS JEREMY HOLLIC!"

"Whoa take it easy man calm down" neither of them had noticed Michael entering the room. He was standing between them now. Jeremy looked livid, Michael wasn't sure if he had ever seen him this mad. Frost simply looked shocked. They stood in silence for a moment staring at one another, until a resonating crash from the neighboring interrogation room caused them to turn and watch the scene unfold.

Patterson enraged at something Rebecca had said had picked her up out of the chair slammed her to the wall and was now using his right fore arm to apply pressure to her wind pipe. "Crist he's gonna kill her" Jeremy said side stepping Michael and bolting out of the door. Neither of them bothered trying to stop him. They watched him burst into the interrogation room and tackle Patterson to the ground. He quickly recovered and began examining Rebecca. She seemed to be fighting to stay conscious.

"Rebecca are you ok?" Jeremy asked..... but he saw the light of recognition dawning on her face..... he braced him self for what he knew would come next. Rebecca opened her mouth drew in a deep breathe and began screaming for all she was worth.

"YOU BASTARD..... YOU BETRAYED ME..... YOU LYING MOTHER FUCKER!!!!" she screamed thrashing and kicking wildly. Patterson who was only just recovering from the blow Jeremy had dealt him was kicked inadvertently by Rebecca's flailing right leg. He slumped back against the wall his nose bleeding swearing at Rebecca.

"Rebecca just listen-" Jeremy tried to interject.

"NO I DONT WANT TO HEAR YOU LYING BASTARD!!!" Rebecca was still screaming louder then he had ever heard anyone scream before.

"Don't just stand there give me something to knock her out with!" Jeremy yelled at Patterson who reached for the baton he kept as a form of motivation. "A drug you simple minded Neanderthal get in the medical kit and give me something to calm her down!" Patterson rummaged in a box for a moment and found a syringe marked "Tranquilizer" he handed it to Jeremy, still trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose. Rebecca was continuing to thrash wildly. "Hold her other arm I cant inject her like this". He had been waiting for just such a request. He stepped to her other side and placed his knee down on her right arm pinning her to the floor. Jeremy administered the injection and within seconds Rebecca's blood curdling screams became quieter, and eventually stopped.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Markenson?" Patterson said angrily. Jeremy was so preoccupied with Rebecca he didn't even bother to answer. He turned Rebecca on her back then felt his pocket's. Realizing he didn't have his he reached across and snapped Patterson's handcuff key off his belt with a crack. Patterson was so enraged by this that he went for the gun he kept on the opposite side of his belt from his baton. Jeremy who had been ready for this had his Desert Eagle out before Patterson had even drawn his.

He jammed the barrel in his face and said "Give me a reason." there was such malice in his voice that Patterson took a step back. Frost and Michael had finally decided they couldn't wait to intervene any longer.

"Weapons away both of you" Frost cried running in through the door way.

Jeremy no longer at risk of being shot returned to what he had been aiming to do. He released Rebecca's hands turned her onto her back and picked her up in his arm's.

"What the hell are you-" began Patterson but he fell silent at the look all three men gave him.

"I'm going to take her to the infirmary....then I just need to pick up something from my room and ill be in your office straight away director.... I know this won't come without consequence." Jeremy said in an abrupt return to his normal cool calculated tone. With that he walked from the room leaving a great deal of confusion and animosity in his wake.

About 20 - 30 minutes later.

Jeremy stood in his room. He had deposited Rebecca at at the infirmary, under the care of Doctor Charlie Robinson. Doc as most everyone at the base called him was the only other person there that Jeremy would have actually said he liked enough to call a friend. He had not been trained in how to maim and kill. He detested what the interrogations that took place there entailed, however he stayed out of the fear that once he left more people would die unnecessarily. Jeremy was sure whatever happened to him now, Doc would honor his request, to protect Rebecca as best he could.

Jeremy looked around the small room, it was cramped and had little in it. Just a bed a TV an old night stand. On top of which sat a telephone and a old faded photograph. Jeremy sat on his bed and picked up the picture. He stared at it intently. It was of him standing with his mother in front of there home in Denver. He had been 12 at the time, and had no idea how close to end of his normal life he was. Less than 18 months after this was taken his mother had died. Not long after that he had been recruited by the C.I.A to become the ruthless secret agent he should have been today. But he wasn't, he knew now that even if his crimes were forgiven even if Rebecca lived, he could never again be the monster he needed to be to do this job affectively.

He set the picture down and picked up the phone, he searched the key pad until at last he found it. A speed dial button marked with the name "James Allastor" he punched the button and listened to the ringing.

He heard a groggy male voice come over the phone. "Director Al" He had always asked people to call him this to save them the trouble of miss pronouncing his last name.

"It's me James..... Jeremy...." Jeremy said

"Oh I see you made it back from Raccoon in one piece. Good for you... Your mother would be proud of you.... that was a awful important mission to give to a rookie." Jeremy smiled slightly, it was James relationship with his mother that he was counting on for this favor. James liked him, but he had known her for decades.

"James..... you and my mother were close right?" Jeremy asked already knowing the answer.

"Of coarse I joined 1 year before her... I was her partner from induction until I was promoted to Base Director, but you know this already Jeremy what's going on?" James asked a hint on concern in his voice.

"I need to ask for a favor..... a big one." Jeremy said his voice shaking slightly "and if you can't or won't do it I will understand."

James sighed "look your mother saved my neck in the field more times then I want to remember..... Whatever you need Jeremy I told your mother I would help you....." James said somberly "I'm going to guess this has something to do with the last mission.... or maybe with the target from the last mission?"

"Yes" Jeremy said his throat constricting slightly.

"Why do I get the feeling your about to say something crazy and completely against protocol?" James said and Jeremy was surprised to hear happiness in his voice. "Insanity must run in your family.... your mother had it to.... What do you need Jeremy I'll help in anyway that is within my power as acting director of operation Lodestone."

Jeremy smile brightened considerable "Well first of all I need you to talk to director Frost" Jeremy began.

_**Alright so "ROGUE" C.I.A operation isn't the most origional play in the book but i thought it seemed better than "organization X" or "Society 13". Besides it works better in the coming chapter's. As always hope you enjoyed it and even if you didn't feel free to review and enlighten me as to my error's.**_


	9. The Decision

The Decision

Operation Loadstone as it turned out, was a secret branch of the C.I.A. It was established in 1955 by Dwight D. Eisenhower. It's primary purpose was initially to simply eliminate significant threats to global security. However by the late 1970's it's sole purpose was to monitor two major threat's. Nuclear warhead's and biological warfare. They did this through counter intelligence, sabotage, assassination, and theft. There current top priority was to take down the corporation known as umbrella.

Rebecca learned all this from Doc after waking up in the infirmary. She was relieved to know that they were not umbrella, it did not however lessen the anger at being kidnapped or the disdain she showed at being betrayed. However after she was sure that they were in fact the good guy's she had relented and told what she knew of umbrella and there operation.

"I heard that Jame's made you a pretty good offer?" Doc called entering Rebecca's room. Rebecca was laying on a hospital recovery bed, they had unshackled her once they were sure she could be trusted. It had been several day's since she first arrived and she had grown to like Doc. He was a decent person at least, and she thought if she was there long enough they might be friends.

"He gave me a choice." Rebecca corrected him. "Leave and never talk about what happened here or in Racoon or stay here and give up my life to help fight umbrella."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I....don't know" Rebecca replied "i can't stand the thought of letting umbrella get away with what they did... but giving up everything, just for this.... that's not vengeance that's obsession."

"If I may say so Miss Chamber's I believe this might be something worthy of an obsession." Doc replied "But may I ask is that the real reason your having trouble deciding? Or is there maybe something else that is bothering you?"

"If you mean Jeremy you can forget about it...." Rebecca snapped "besides stabbing me in the back and handing me over to be beaten half to death, he hasn't even bothered to come and see me or try to explain himself. I hope I never see him again" even as she said the word's she felt her eyes burning.

Doc laughed heartily "Miss Chamber's you are one of the most extraordinarily intelligent and talented people I have ever met, but you share a trait with another exceptionally talented person I know.... you are both extraordinarily poor liars. And as for the explanation... well?..... don't you have all the explanation you need, and as for justification I will tell you now even he knows there is none. Besides did you really think he would come?"

""Yes I would have, I would have expected him to come make sure I was alright make sure those maniac's haven't killed me yet at least..... I bet he doesn't even know I have the option to stay." Rebecca replied incredulously.

"Of coarse he does.... Come on who exactly do you think it was who got you this kind of deal? It wasn't me or the director I can tell you that. He stuck his neck out for you to make sure that you weren't harmed." Doc said a little more forcefully.

"Stuck his neck out.... like I haven't heard that before." Rebecca said rolling over and looking away.

"WAKE UP!!!" Doc spat angrily "Do you have any idea how many rules he broke, how much danger he put himself in?.... Let's see interfering with an interrogation, assualting another agent, threatening another agent, threatening a director, braking chain of command, and jeopardizing the integrity of an on going investigation.... You think that's a joke? Even you I'm sure can tell that's nothing to laugh at. If he wasn't so well connected you and he would be sharing a grave right now." Doc finished breathing heavily.

Rebecca was silent, she hadn't considered how much he had done, and how much it might cost him. "If he cares so much why hasn't he-" she began.

"Because he is trying to rectify his mistakes. He has done some horrible things in the past, he truly believes if you leave you will be better off without him in your life, that will be one less mistake he will have to live with..... and if you leave every moment he spend''s without you will be torture and there by penance for the crimes he has committed." Doc finished despairingly "and neither I nor anybody else has been able to convince him otherwise."

"He's using me as.... a....." Rebecca was so angry she couldn't even think of a word to describe it.

"Yes, look Rebecca I wish you would stay, you would be a credit to our effort, but I can't make you stay. However if you should choose to leave, I implore you not to do so without at least first talking with Jeremy..... He wants to see you worse then you can imagine, and I'm not sure what he will do if you leave without at least saying goodbye." With that Doc left the room. Leaving Rebecca conflicted, and wishing more that Jeremy would swallow his pride and come to see her. But the memory of the thing's she had yelled the last time she had seen him, the anger and hatred she had felt told her that he wouldn't come.

With that she sat up slipped on her shoe's and headed for the door. Suddenly it was all clear, the choice to make, what to say, and what she really wanted. She proceeded down the hall to were the entrance to the hanger was, she was just peering inside when a voice from behind her answered her question.

"Looking for someone Miss Chambers?" Director Frost was approaching her holding a clip board in one hand. He had been the person she was looking for, she had thought he might have been in the hanger.

"Yes"

"You have made your decision?"

"Yes"

"And?" he said a little impatiently.

"I want to stay... I wanna help take umbrella down."

"Well I'm glad to hear it, we can use all the help we can get and I must say people of your particular aptitudes are hard to come by in this business. I will arrange for you to be briefed and to begin training as soon as Doc declares you healthy enough to do so." He turned to walk away.

"Wait.... that's not all I wanted."

"You want to know were Jeremy is" Frost interjected with a snide quality to his voice. "If he isn't in his room and I doubt he is he is probably up on the roof near the heliport."

"The roof?" Rebecca said surprised

"Yes very rarely do we have chopper's landing at 1 in the morning, and since he returned with you he has been avoiding everyone." With that he walked away examining his clip board.

Rebecca proceeded up the step's until she reached the door marked "Roof Exit" thinking that at least up here they would be alone. To spite the fact that it was still august there was a definite chill in the air. Rebecca shivered as she stepped outside, but Frost had been right. Jeremy was laying with his arm's folded behind his head in a hooded sweat shirt and blue jean's about 10 feet from one of the chain linked fences that bordered the roof top. She approached him quietly. Then without warning she drew back her right leg and delivered a sharp kick into his rib's.

"OWWW" Jeremy yelled turning defensively on his side.

"Get up!" Rebecca demanded.

Still clearly fighting off sleep Jeremy turned his head and looked up at her. He stood up massaging the spot were she had kicked him, "Next time just prod me or something will ya?" he said sleepily.

"Hiding from me?" she demanded.

"Never from you Becca.... just everyone else on this base" Jeremy said soberly.

Rebecca glared at him "You heard that the Director Al made me an offer?"

"Yeah, that he would let you go home if you swore never to tell anyone what happened"

"OR I could stay and fight just provided the public record's list me as dead." Rebecca said fighting to keep her voice from rising.

Jeremy looked shocked at Rebecca's tone "i didn't think-"

"Seems to be a recurring problem with you... not thinking.... Were you even going to come and see me? Even going to bother explaining why you had me nearly strangled by a maniac?"

"I thought that Doc would tell you who we were, and I figured I was pretty much the last person you wanted to see..... and as far as the choice went I was sure you would want a new life, I thought you would be better off with a new life... and much better off without me pestering you to give up your life to stay here on this vendetta the C.I.A is starting." Jeremy said all of this, his voice was level but his eye's were starting to sparkle slightly.

Rebecca didn't even respond she simply drew back her right fist and delivered a crashing blow into Jeremy's face. He stumbled backwards a step, but before he had time to even register what had just happened she threw another punch, this one with her weight behind hit. Blood spattered both of them as Jeremy's nose make a sickening crunch sound. He stumbled backwards into the fence were he slid to a sitting position desperately trying to control the blood flowing from his nose. Rebecca approached him looking down at him.

"Gonna kick me now?" Jeremy said his mouth full of blood "add an injury to an injury to an insult on top of some guilt on top of misery?"

Rebecca felt her anger decreasing by degrees. If his goal with this last statement was to inspire pity it was working. She knelt beside him, he recoiled clearly afraid she was planning another attack. "I'm not going to hit you again.... But don't lie to me again.... and don't try to use me to pay penance for your crimes" she said forcefully.

"P-Pay penance" Jeremy repeated mopping at his face with his sleeve.

"Yes, it's stupid and it wont work anyway.... I'm staying... and since I'm staying I want to be with you.... but you have to tell me the truth this time... who you are were you came from all of it." Rebecca finished.

Jeremy's face split into a wide smile. "There's a commissary down stair's..... meet me there in 15 minutes and I'll tell you everything you want to know about me." He said standing up and walking towards the door "I've just got to see somebody first.... and by the way" He said as they reached the door, he turned back to face her "i was never using you leaving as a way to "PAY PENANCE" he mimed air quotes around the word's "i really did believe you would want to lave.... and I still think you would be better off without me...... Doc lied to you, because as you will learn there is no way to express how sorry I am or show the remorse I feel for the crimes I have committed."

"How do you know I got that from Doc? Rebecca demanded "don't think I'm smart enough?"

"It's a very insightful line Rebecca.... and you are more than capable of coming up with it..... however it's not quite as insightful when Doc accused me of the same thing yesterday" he said still smiling.

"Why would he" Rebecca began angrily, the mere thought of Jeremy accusing someone of lying at this moment seemed impossible.

"He was trying to force a horse to drink so to speak. And if you have such a problem with it.... why did you decide to stay before you even talked to me?" Jeremy asked

"Because anyone who would torture themselves like that to make up for something they had done.... at least deserves a second chance.... but you've still got a lot to do to make up for tricking me..... and what was with that horse comment?

"I'll explain later" he replied to Rebecca's confused expression. With that he turned and hurried down the stair's.

"You know I didn't have an alternative" Doc said muting the TV as Jeremy entered the room.

"Pay penance for my crimes by living without her? That was creative I'll give you that." Jeremy said smiling and wetting a paper towel to wash the blood from his face.

Doc smiled "I had to come up with some way to get you two stubborn idiots to face each other... otherwise you were both about to make a decision that would have affected the rest of your life."

"Well now we just have to see how thing's turn out.... my past is my past and I'll always have to live with the thing's I did.... but maybe Rebecca will make that a little easier. Speaking of which" Jeremy said turning to face Doc "she wants to hear my life story.... figured who better to help me tell it then the guy who has been a part of my life since before I was born?" Jeremy grinned Doc was not his father, but he had been his mother's prenatal physician, and his pediatrician since birth, and as far as they were concerned they were father and son that weren't related.

"Were should I begin? Naked baby pictures or how you wet the bed when you were two?" Doc said grinning maliciously.

"Yeah I was thinking we skip that part" Jeremy said restraining a laugh. With that they both stood up and departed for the commissary.

_**Alright sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but i didn't want to make it to fluffy.... Alright that is not the end of the story, Now it may take a while to get the next chapter done because i'm going to start writing another fic, it's going to be a RE high school fic centered around Billy vs. Richard for Rebecca(if you havent guessed im a big Rebecca Fan)...... I know that high school fic's are over done but if you enjoy this story i would appreciate any feed back you would give me on that one..... im not sure if i want to post it yet though...... anyway i'll let everyone know when i get that going. **_


	10. Fight and Flight

**Fight and Flight**

**"You ready there rookie?" Michael asked.**

**"I told you I'm ready and I'm no rookie!" Rebecca snapped back as the helicopter landed and the three of them stepped out into the snowy wasteland of Siberia. It had been 5 years since she had joined the C.I.A. It had taken nearly 4 years to complete her full training. Never the less she had excelled in nearly every area she had been required to train in. In fact the only two things she was not the best at was interrogation. Since Jeremy had fought tooth and nail to get her an exception so she wouldn't have to see what might have happened to her, and sharp shooting. Not to say she wasn't a good shot she just wasn't the best. "It should be less than 1 mile north of here."**

**"What's the time" asked Sam.**

**Michael checked his watch "God dammit were already 8 minutes behind schedule.... we better hurry the diversions going to start any minute.... and I don't think I need to remind you of what might happen if we don't reinforce during the diversion." he finished starting to move. **

**With Jeremy**

**"and then they made me there chief." Jeremy finished flicking open his zippo lighter for what felt like the 1000th time. "so what do you guy's have in store for me next anyway?"**

**"I don't know but if it's up to me the first thing there gonna do is cut your god damn tongue out." snarled a guard sitting at a desk a few feet away.**

**"don't think they'll do that.... then they wouldn't be able to hold onto the fantasy that they can make me talk" Jeremy said standing up and striding to the bars smiling. The room he was in was not very wide 20 feet or so. It was long with around 7 10 foot by 10 foot cells. One of which he was currently occupying. "so now you know about me what about you? How come your playing security guard? Not smart enough to be in the real umbrella military?" Jeremy added cackling maniacally.**

**"Why you little prick I'll ring your neck." the guard said standing up his fists clenched in rage. "I'd watch my mouth if I were you." **

**"That is were you and I differ.... you see I always like to talk to people.... figure them out you see..... from what I can figure of you your a insecure runny nosed little coward who is afraid of being inadequate.... especially in special area's" he added with another cackle. His ploy had worked the guard lunged at him attempting to reach through the bars and grab him. He had been ready for this. He seized the guards arm and held it tightly through the bars forcing his face just a few inches from Jeremy's."Big mistake" he snarled smiling. In an instant he had removed the guards knife from the sheath on his belt. He then released the guards arm. The guard blinked and pulled his arm away. He turned to move and radio for help. Jeremy reached through the bars inserted the knife through the side of his neck and pushed forward. There was nothing but a slight gasp and the sound of gushing blood. **

**Jeremy felt on the guards belt and removed the key's. He opened the cell door and laughed "you would think someone as rich as umbrella could afford an electric lock" he thought silently. He searched and removed the guards revolver. "A Smith and Wesson 6 shooter what the fuck is this the 1880's" he said in disgust examining the revolver. Still he pocketed it and placed the knife sheath on his belt. He looked at the clock. It was still 13 minutes before he needed to start the diversion.... which he figured he needed to give them 5 minutes or so of a buffer. He turned and began entering commands into the terminal on the guards desk...."Dammit the clearance isn't high enough on this computer.... I'll have to find another one" he said aloud as he turned and sprinted for the door at the far end of the room. **

**With Rebecca**

**"Who the hell is that" exclaimed Michael. He was looking through the scope on a sniper riffle at the entrance to the base. "They aren't with us." **

**"Yeah well the enemy of my enemy is my friend" Rebecca said as there was a loud explosion and the door's to the front of the compound came flying off there hinges and the 2 hooded figures disappeared inside. It was several minutes before a siren broke the silence. "Is that Jeremy or them?" Rebecca asked.**

**"Don't know but were already late we better get moving!" Michael said aggressively handing the gun back to Rebecca. "Chances are your hubby's going to need us to get him out of another tight spot before to long." He added as they charged towards the now open front gate. **

**"He's not my hubby and he can take care of himself just fine!" Rebecca scorned. They were inside the compound now there were zombies running a muck in the large courtyard. "There" she said pointing at the largest of the buildings. They charged at it weaving in and out of zombies. There ammo was limited this time they couldn't afford to fight unnecessarily. They entered the building through a small side door that took them inside a large stair well. **

**"Where's the rendezvous point again?" Sam asked **

**"On the roof near the heliport" Rebecca said her voice echoing slightly. **

**"Who's that down there" said a gruff masculine voice from several flights up "It''s the intruders shoot to kill!" he roared catching sight of them. Immediately the sound of gun fire and ricochets filled the stairwell. **

**"I can't get an angle on them" Michael yelled firing blindly up the stairs trying to keep them at bay. "What the hell are you doing?" He spat as Rebecca aimed her gun at the left wall about half way between them and the soldiers. **

**"Watch and learn" she said gleefully firing 3 shot's at the spot she had been aiming at then firing several more at what appeared to them to be random places on the wall. Immediately after she ceased firing the shooting from above stopped. **

**"What the fuck??" exclaimed Sam in complete shock "how the hell did you-" he left the sentence unfinished as they reached the floor the soldiers had been shooting from. There were three of them all laying dead from Rebecca shot's. "Were the hell did you learn to shoot like that?"**

**"Were do you think?" said Rebecca impatiently. She was never exactly sure why Sam had been recruited. He wasn't uncommonly smart or talented in many area's. He was a fair shot and of average intelligence but he really had no business being on these kind of mission in her option. **

**"Oooooh" he said a smile appearing on his face "so was that a pillow conversation or-" he began**

**"Not the time or the place" Michael said angrily stepping between them "Let it go" he muttered to a very angry looking Rebecca "you know he's an asshole.... well pay him back later." Her expression softened slightly.**

**"Research is on the 5th floor she announced" moving swiftly up the stares. "Here it is-WOW" she exclaimed as the door flew up revealing a hallway with 5 dead body's in it. **

**"Looks like were a little late to the party" Michael said laughing as he stepped in front of Rebecca"**

**"Jesus Christ remind me never to pick a fight with Jeremy" Sam said his eye's widening as he entered the hall. The first dead body appeared to have had it's throat slashed, in the same manner Jeremy always preferred. An old favorite of the marine core. Insert the knife across the neck severing both carotid arteries then pull forward and sever the wind pipe for a silent kill. The next one appeared to have been killed the same fashion. The third had what appeared to be the knife from the first two killings rammed into his left eye socket. The fourth was the least dramatic. There was simply a bullet hole in his forehead. The 5th appeared to have been shot several time's. His gun and knife were also missing. **

**"We can't be too far behind" said Rebecca stepping over one of the body's and slipping in the copious amount of blood on the floor. "There still warm."**

**"Then let's try to catch up" Said Michael braking into a run as he rounded the corner. **

**"Wait up" shouted Sam bringing up the rear.**

**They proceeded down the hall and into a large laboratory. The room was roughly the size of a high school gymnasium with tubes that spread from floor to sealing containing all manner of biological experiments. There were several tyrants and a few deformed hunter's near the door. Rebecca flinched as she saw the tyrants. She had never completely conquered her fear of the monstrosities, but she could at least keep a clear head when she saw one now. **

**The room was in disarray there were chairs and tables turned over and papers littered the floor. Though somewhat unsettling was the lack of dead scientists. "Looks like they cleared out of here in a hurry" Rebecca said proceeding cautiously into the center of the room. **

**"Jeremy get lost between that blood bath and the lab?" Sam asked with a laugh.**

**"Uhh I'm pretty sure he was here" Rebecca said smiling and pointing at a bullet hole in a empty glass tube. "Probably running low on ammo so he just shot once and the scientists promptly pissed themselves then ran out of here like there asses were on fire." She reached a desk with a computer on it that was close to a large door marked "BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES VAULT" The computers screen had a message flashing across it. "Biological Sample Vault Security Level Red"**

** User Name: Hunk **

**Password: ******* **

**Rebecca finished imputing the user name and password as Sam and Michael walked up behind her. "What kind of user name is "HUNK" anyway?" Sam asked with a smirk. He clearly found the unusual codename amusing reinforcing Rebecca's opinion that he shouldn't be here. **

**"A fictitious one that was implanted in the Umbrella database by C.I.A hacker's you incompetent swine" Rebecca spat. **

**"A little snippy aren't we? Your time of the month?" Sam retorted grinning foolishly, and stepping back out of arm's reach as Rebecca rounded on him. **

**"We've got bigger problems and one more crack like that Johnson and were gonna leave you here to burn up with the rest of the base. The larger problem Michael was referring to was that the computer was now flashing "TERMINAL CLEARANCE INSUFFICIENT PLEASE CONTACT A NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR" "Who the hell puts a computer next to a vault that cant open said vault" Michael said angrily. **

**Rebecca and Sam were still glaring at each other when suddenly without warning there was a rush of air as the vault pressurized and the door swung slowly open. They turned and stared at one another dumb founded. "Jeremy" they echoed in unison. **

**15 minutes later they had removed all biological samples from the vault and were hoisting them onto there backs in 2 large black duffel bags. "Now we need to get to the access point on the roof" Rebecca announced "we better hurry we only have about 10 minutes before Jeremy activates the self destruct sequence. They stepped back out of the laboratory and almost immediately drew back as 4 umbrella soldiers came running by the door being chased by a man and a women wearing uniforms with the letters BSAA printed on the back. "Who the hell are they?"**

**"Don't know..... we were supposed to be the only ones here tonight... well us and Jeremy" Michael said "Luck of the draw the enemy of my enemy is my friend... lets go there not our problem." they proceeded down the hall and into a large central room. This room was one large open room that went from the ground floor to the roof. Each floor had it's own separate balcony and the top of the room were the roof should have been looked like glass. This room they had surmised through intelligence was built to allow for radio communication throughout the building. At the bottom on the ground floor was a device that would pick up and retransmit any signal that needed to pass through this room to reach it's destination. Rebecca looked over the hand rail and could see people running in all directions on all the floors bellow. Her attention was immediately drawn to the sound of fighting two floors up. **

**Jeremy was locked in combat with at least 4 soldiers on the square balcony that ran all around the room 2 floors up. They all three stared as he seized a pistol one of the guards shoved in his face diverted it then punched the guard in the stomach. Before the guard had time to recover he pushed him sending him over the edge to the ground 7 floors bellow. He turned and pointed the gun he had rested from the falling guard. All the other guards ran. They seemed to have gotten the point that this place was done for and they couldn't do anything to stop it. Jeremy turned and looked down towards the ground floor. He pulled a sash off of his chest and dropped it over the edge. It hit the ground floor and exploded. "Grenade belt" Rebecca said staring at the yellow fire now engulfing the first 2 floor's. She looked back at Jeremy who was grinning and waving both arm's foolishly. He then turned and sprinted for the exit at one end of the balcony. "Lets go were wasting time!" Rebecca said suddenly realizing they had been standing there for a full 5 minutes. **

**They emerged onto the roof just as a cool female voice announced "the self destruct sequence has been activated all person please evacuate the facility" **

**"Looks like we made it" Michael said mopping his brow. "Jeremy should be here soon."**

**They walked to the end of roof were a helicopter bearing umbrellas logo was parked. Rebecca climbed into the pilots seat and checked the engine and gages. "Looks good she called" Sam and Michael climbed into the back leaving the second front seat vacant for Jeremy. Several minutes passed with no sign of him. Rebecca started to worry as they herd the female voice say "5 minutes until detonation".**

**"Should we radio him?" Sam said apprehensively.**

**"Yeah cause most people let captured C.I.A agents keep radios." Rebecca said sarcastically "still I wonder if something happened to him." she said sounding very worried. If he was much later they would have to take off without him, or else be killed in the explosion themselves. **

**"! minute until detonation" announced the female voice.**

**"we have to go without him Becca" Michael said forcefully. **

**"Lets just wait a few more seconds" she said tensely staring at the door. **

**"Face it he's not gonna make it!" Sam yelled.**

**"HA ye of little faith!" Rebecca yelled happily as Jeremy emerged from the building carrying a bag over his shoulder and talking on a radio. **

**"30 seconds" came the voice.**

**Jeremy was running full on still talking to someone when he tripped and sent the radio flying. He started to reach for it but immediately decided there was no time. He reached the door and climbed in just as the voice announced "15 seconds".**

**The helicopter sored towards the sky as the entire base was engulfed in a amazing fireball that would have made the lights in a operating room seem like a child's flash light. They braced themselves as the helicopter shook, but they did not plummet. Rebecca exhaled deeply "thought you weren't gonna make it there for a minute Jer" **

**"For a minute so did i" Jeremy admitted breathing heavily. **

**"What's in the bag? Sam asked staring at the black bag Jeremy had by his side.**

**"Classified" Jeremy said "thats why I didn't tell you 3 about it." **

**"We have clearance" Sam began.**

**"If he says he cant tell us then he cant tell us so stop bugging him Johnson" Michael said giving Sam a well deserved slap on the head.**

**"Alright alright..... so you sure you're the one who flies these Bec's?" Sam asked and Jeremy saw Rebecca's fingers tighten on the control panel. In addition to being called "Bec's" which was not a nickname she particularly liked it was insulting to have her skills challenged by a rookie who could barely keep a car on the correct side of the road. "I just mean I thought Jeremy flew helicopters" he added quickly.**

**"Jeremy flies small planes Rebecca flies helicopters and I fly both" Michael said with some resentment in his voice. Sam seemed to have received the message and spoke very little the rest of the flight. **

**"How long till we reach base?" Jeremy said trying to brake the silence "I'm starving...... I wonder if army food is as bad as umbrella prison food." It worked they all began laughing heartily as the helicopter spead east into the glorious sunrise. **

_Alright sorry it took so long to get this one out.... I had a rather nasty bout with writers block. But here it is hope you enjoy and by the way two things I feel I should mention is 1 I know I am way off the time line I posted a few chapters back.... so what?..... the second is that the base in this scene was supposed to be the the base from "Fall of Umbrella" which was not in Siberia (I don't think anyway) but I couldn't remember were it was so just go with it. _


	11. Perfume and Petroleum

Perfume and Petroleum

"Were did you say we were going for dinner?" Rebecca called from the bathroom.

"Place called "Clean Cuts" supposed to be pretty good and REALLY expensive." Jeremy called back laying on the bed watching a news report about a shoot out in West Virgina between the FBI and some of the remnants of Umbrellas private military, the U.B.C.S.

"So how can you afford it?" Rebecca teased.

"C.I.A.'s paying" Jeremy retorted cackling.

"You know as much money as you spend I'm surprised they still let you comp expenses." Rebecca said now emerging from the bathroom ready to leave. Jeremy was still laying on the bed. It suddenly struck her how different he looked these days. His hair which had been jet black when they had met was now it's natural color of dishwater blond. Although it was now prematurely streaked with grey because of the strain the umbrella operations put him under. His face was prematurely lined as well and bore the scars of a distinctly difficult life. He had lost a significant amount of weight as well, this she put down to the fact that he had been in that base in Russia for nearly two months. But for all of this he was still a site for sore eyes for Rebecca, it had been almost 8 months since she had seen him.

It had been a week since the bases destruction, immediately after the mission they had returned to a temporary command post in Moscow. After being debriefed and ascertaining that the base had been umbrellas last strong hold they had been granted leave to return to the states for a much over due vacation. They had landed in New York city that morning and were now staying in a very high caliber hotel.

"When your a key aspect of taking down one of the biggest threats to global security you get to go a little crazy" Jeremy laughed smiling ear to ear.

"Will you just tell me what you want to tell me?!" Rebecca said laughing. He had teased her all day that he had something big to tell her but he wanted to tell her it over dinner.

Jeremy laughed "No no that would ruin the suprise.... besides part of its a statement and the other part is kinda a question..... but before any of that I have a little surprise for you" he added still smiling "come on lets go." She proceeded to the door as Jeremy pulled on a hooded sweat shirt. He also slipped his Desert Eagle into the back of his blue jeans. He had carried it so long he felt very vulnerable without it. He also retrieved from a pocket in his overcoat a small black velvet box, he pocketed it and caught up with Rebecca half way to the elevator. "Say how come you never wear heals?" he asked simply wanting to make conversation.

Rebecca laughed "develop a foot fetish in that cracker box of a holding cell?"

"You've been around Michael and Sam way to much!" Jeremy said laughing. It was remarkable how much Rebecca had changed since he had known her. She wasn't the scared rookie anymore. Now she was collected calculating and callused. "I just think a pair of heals would have looked nice with that outfit."

"Well" Rebecca began rolling her eyes as they stepped onto the deserted elevator "heals kinda get in the way of running on a mission and the whole 3 or 4 days leave we get every 6 months or so.... well we don't usually get very far outside of the hotel room do we.?" she added smiling sneakily.

"Not unless they have incredibly bad room service..... by the way were going out with a couple of friends of mine." he added seeing the exact reaction he had expected appear on Rebecca's face.

"I thought this was supposed to be just the two of us." she said sounding disappointed.

"You'll be glad I invited them once you see who they are." Jeremy said as they stepped out into the crowded lobby. He began scanning the crowd looking for any sign of them.

"If it's Michael and Lisa again.... OOOOOH I swear to god what does he see in that women?" Rebecca cringed at the thought of her.

"Quit wining and look by the front door!" Jeremy said pointing towards the revolving doors. Rebecca turned in the direction he was pointing and had to fight the urge to yell.

"Jill and Chris?!?!?! how did you?" Rebecca spluttered.

"Long story and one that we can tell in full detail.... over dinner" Jeremy added rubbing his stomach. "Besides I'm gonna need there help to explain everything."

Rebecca threw her arms around his neck and kissed him "Your amazing" she then took off running towards were Jill and Chris were standing. "Chris! Jill!" She called running towards them.

"UH?? Rebecca?" They stammered as a look of pure shock and confusion came over their faces. "We thought you were dead!" Jill cried stepping forward and pulling Rebecca into a tight hug. "What are you doing here?"

Jeremy gave a loud cough having just arrived at the spot and heard the final question. Chris's eyes darted from Jeremy to Rebecca then back to Jeremy. "Rebecca's your wife?" Chris asked courteously.

"Girlfriend" Jeremy corrected him "i invited you to dinner with me and my girlfriend."

Chris laughed "well you were right this was a surprise" Chris said smiling and drawing Rebecca into a one armed hug "good to see you Becca."

"What are you two doing here?" Rebecca asked examining the change in her two former teammates. They looked considerably older then they had the last time she had seen them. There faces much like Jeremy's were prematurely lined and showed signs of strain, if not quite to the extent of his. Jill's hair was slightly longer as well.

"Well Jeremy invited us to dinner and since Umbrella looks to finally be out of commission we couldn't think of any good excuses" Chris said grinning.

"Fine pay for your own dinner see if I care" Jeremy said laughing "and you still owe me for that antique mirror you shot to pieces in Paris last year"

"HA well some of us actually have limited resources" Chris retorted.

"You wouldn't know it the way she shops" Jeremy replied pointing at Jill. They stepped outside into the hotel parking lot. It was January and a thick layer of snow covered the ground. "Let me get the car" Jeremy added quickly before Jill had a chance to repay him for his most recent snipe.

"So Rebecca your working for the C.I.A now?" Chris asked.

"Yeah.... just until were sure the last of the UBCS have been taken care of." Rebecca replied.

"You don't like it there?" Jill asked.

"It has it's pros and cons..... there are just many more cons than pros." Rebecca replied. "But enough about me what have you two been up to."

"Were working for the BSAA" Chris said with a tone of great importance. "We just took down umbrellas last strong hold in Siberia."

Rebecca giggled "that was you? Well thanks for the distraction anyway, made sneaking in and out much easier" she added as Jeremy returned driving there rented Trailblazer. She skirted the nose of the car and climbed in the passenger seat.

"A SUV? Wow Jeremy I always took you for the fast sports car kinda guy" Jill said sitting down in the back seat next to Chris.

"Well if I had known style meant more then comfort I would've gotten the 1998 Pontiac Trans Am that I wanted" Jeremy said laughing as he pulled out onto the busy street "But I thought Chris might not enjoy having his head pressed against the sealing the whole way there and back" he added.

Chris laughed "well if you had gotten that car I don't think we all would have been able to fit in it after dinner"

"are you calling me fat?" Jill asked outraged.

"Uh no honey I uh" Chris stammered as Jeremy and Rebecca roared with laughter.

It took them nearly 45 minutes to make it to the restaurant. Partly do to Jeremy getting them lost twice without realizing it. However it seemed like no time at all as Rebecca Chris and Jill recounted some of there more memorable escapades over the past few years. Jeremy was glad he had decided to invite Jill and Chris, he had met them nearly two years earlier on a mission in a rural area of China. It seemed to ease Rebecca's tension having them there. It had been a long time since he had seen here and genuinely believed she was having a good time. Ever since Rebecca had began training she had not fit in well with the rest of the agents. The way that she had been brought to them coupled with the reasons for her being allowed to stay and be given security clearance alone made sure that she endured a high level of abuse from many of the agents who considered her "incompetent". But all of that was almost over. In a few weeks she would never have to see them again, and neither would he. "Just hold out a little longer Becca and I promise I'll make this all up to you" Jeremy thought silently as he pulled the car into a empty parking space in the parking lot of "Clean Cuts".

"Does anyone else feel..... a little..... under dressed?" Rebecca asked looking around as they entered the restaurant. Most of the men wore suits and ties, the women a variety of slinky dresses. Rebecca looked down at the V neck sweater and black skirt she was wearing. "Why didn't you tell me this place was upscale" she whispered to Jeremy.

"Would it have really mattered? Last time I checked you don't even own a pair of heels much less a dress like that" he whispered back "besides" he added returning his voice to normal volume "were here to eat not impress anyone."

"Sir theres a 3 hour wait if you don't have a reservation." said a voice from behind the nearby podium.

"Reservation is under the name Holloway" Jeremy replied turning to her. She ran her finger down the ledger until she found the name

"Can I see some I.D. Please sir." she asked, not disguising her suspicion that he was not who he said he was.

"Certainly" Jeremy said sounding slightly annoyed. He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and unfolded it to reveal a New York State drivers license bearing the name "Jeremy Holloway".

The waitress blinked rapidly before snapping "Can I see a second form of I.D."

"Show us to either a table or the managers office..... your choice" Jeremy growled sounding aggravated. The waitress bit her lower lip before retrieving four menus and showing them to a round table at the opposite end of the small room.

Rebecca stared around the room. Three of the four walls were lined with shelves that seemed to contain vintage wines. In front of these shelves were counters with bar tenders standing behind them. The room was small with fewer than two dozen tables. There table was at the opposite corner of the room from the entrance to the kitchen.

They placed there orders and went on discussing there adventures since they had last seen one another until Jeremy said he had something to ask Rebecca. "Does this mean your finally gonna let me in on whatever this secret is you've been teasing me with all day?" Rebecca asked laughing.

"Yes" Jeremy said laughing. "But first I have something to tell you that you will be glad to hear."

"So go on" Rebecca urged as Chris and Jill looked puzzled.

"Well just before we left to return to the states Director Al offer-" he broke off as a loud BANG issued from the kitchen. A few seconds passed before there was a great deal of yelling. The servers were trying to keep everyone calm as yells and bangs echoed around the room. Jeremy's hand flew from his left pocket containing the black box to the gun in his jeans. "What the hell?" he said aloud.

"I don't like this.... maybe we should-" Jill began but at that moment the door to the kitchen burst open as a hail of gun fire scattered across the room. Jeremy and Chris reacted instinctively turning the table over as a shield. People began running in all directions screaming like crazy. Jeremy peaked over the top of the table.

"There definitely wearing UBCS uniforms..... what the hell is going on?" He said pulling the gun from his back pocket. Just then a UBCS soldier spotted him, pointed towards them and yelled something in what sounded like Russian.

"I think he's saying there they are get them!" Rebecca said quickly "there here for us?!?!"

"I'll cover you three from here stay low to the floor keep behind tables when you can and don't stop!" Jeremy said quickly tossing the car keys from his pocket.

Chris retrieved them and said "were not just leave-" but Jeremy cut him off.

"Officer Redfield this is not a debate! I'm the only one with a gun and I'm a lot faster then you now go that is an order!!!" his voice echoed on the last word."NOW!" he said rising over the table and firing at the soldiers. They did as instructed, they made there way across the room taking cover behind tables as Jeremy tried to make his single clip of ammunition last.

They emerged into the parking lot unhurt. It was nearly deserted now. Everyone else seemed to have high tailed it out of there as soon as the shooting started. They ran for the black trailblazer parked near the edge of the parking lot. When they were about 10 feet from the SUV Rebecca tripped and landed face down on the concrete. "CHRIS DON'T!!!" she screamed in horror as she raised her head up and looked at the underside of the SUV "IT'S WIRED TO EXPLODE!!!"

Chris who had inserted the key into the lock on the driver's side let go and sprinted in the direction they had come from Jill at his heels. Rebecca rolled onto her back stood up and ran for it. The car exploded in a fire ball knocking them all face forward. They stood back up and stared into the front door of the restaurant. The entire restaurant was engulfed in flames. They could see at least one dead body inside. Rebecca's eyes widened. "come on Becca!" Jill said seizing her arm and dragging her towards the alley to the right of the restaurant.

"Let me go!" she yelled trying to get away from Jill still trying to get back to the front of the building.

"Look Becca" Chris said out of breathe as there was a loud BANG! Several feet away. She turned to see a UBCS agent fall backwards out of the side door. Jeremy stepped out next holding a gun pointed at the agents chest.

He held up a hand and began yelling something they couldn't understand. Jeremy simply squeezed the trigger three times and delivered three rounds right around his heart area. He kicked the door shut behind him as he stepped out and slumped backwards holding his right arm with his left. Rebecca looked at him relief melting to shock. She had never seen him kill someone who begged for mercy, he had always been the one who would only kill when necessary. The shock of this display of brutality was broken by the sound of sirens in the distance. "If anyone has a plan I'd sure love to hear it." Rebecca said keeping her voice calm and even. .

Jeremy shook his head, this was his trade mark for announcing he had some sort of plan. "Did any of you make it out with cell phones?"

"No I left mine at the hotel since you had yours." Rebecca said.

"I lost my purse when you two flipped the table." Jill added.

"And I don't even have one." finished Chris.

"God dammit OK look heres what were gonna do Becca" he approached Becca and handed her his cell phone "I'll call you..... I have an idea but it's a long shot.... but it's the best plan we have the cops will be here soon Chris" he turned to Chris and extended a hand holding a 32 caliber snub nose revolver "protect the two of them will you? I'll draw the UBCS and the cops away from here as best I can.... and finally" he removed his wallet from his back pocket and began looking through it "here" he handed Rebecca a fresh drivers license credit card and a wad of cash. "get at least two blocks from here then buy some new clothes..... don't go back to the hotel.... they knew we were here so we have to assume they know were we we're staying..... I'll contact you as soon as I can.

"How are you gonna contact us with no phone and don't you need a gun?" Jill questioned.

"i took a box of ammo for my Eagle of one of the soldiers.... and you let me worry about the phone..... now we don't have a lot of time here so when I say go run like hell alright.... theres more soldiers here" he peaked around the corner watching two large men leaning against a SUV. They were tall with large over coats, and they could see the barrels of assault riffles near there feet. "ready" Jeremy said quietly "GO" he yelled opening fire at the two soldiers who dived for cover as the other three darted across the street and all hell broke loose. People ran in all directions screaming as a fire fight broke about between the soldiers and the police who had just arrived to see them blasting apart a wall with a pair of assault riffles

"I hope he's OK." Rebecca said worriedly look back as they ran with the crowd. She could no longer see were he had been crouching.

"I'm sure he will Becca.... we've seen him in a lot tougher spots.... and god only knows what you've seen him do." Jill said as they rounded a corner and returned to normal speed.

"That's true I supposed..... and right now I guess I need to worry about us" Rebecca replied thinking silently "isn't umbrella supposed to be dead.... and those weren't normal UBCS soldiers.... what the hell is going on?"

**_Alright let me explain something about the tittle. This chapter was originally made to be MUCH longer and encumbus there entire escape. However since i am waging a war against writers block at the moment and i share my readers hatred of people that take months to update i decided to throw this chapter up. I'll try to finish the escape in the next chapter and i will try to get that up as soon as i can as always read review enjoy and i don't own resident evil.  
_**


	12. Perfume and Petroleum Part II

Perfume and Petroleum Part II

Jeremy ran along the alley as the police distracted the two UBCS operatives on the street. He emerged into the parking lot and sprinted onto the side walk and down the street as fast as he could. As he ran he saw three police cruisers heading the opposite direction accompanied by fire trucks. He was just beginning to think he could stop and catch his breathe when a loud BANG issued from the opposite side of the street.

He felt the bullet pass just inches from his back and heard the shattering of glass as a plate glass window crumbled behind him. He dove behind a car pulling his Eagle from his coat pocket. He rose over the car and fired at the man in a dark over coat that had shot at him. He too ducked behind a car for cover. Jeremy took that opportunity to run for it. He couldn't fight now, he had to get away. He approached an intersection full of people waiting for the light to change. He plowed through the crowd of people as fast as he could, as he reached the edge of the street a man with a cell phone to his ear was standing on the curb waiting. Almost without even thinking he seized the phone and took off across the street as fast as he could .

A moment later he dived into a somersault as a bus skidded to a halt behind him and he herd the racket of more gun fire on the other side as the man chasing him gained ground. He took only a moment to breathe then continued his flight down the street. He now carried his Eagle in his right hand, people seeing him running waving the gun scattered attempting to clear a path. He looked at the phone as he ran and dialed. A moment later a female voice said "Langley switch board how may i-"

"Extension 5510" Jeremy interrupted her panting heavily.

"One moment please" Jeremy gritted his teeth as the sound of lounge music filled his ear. He glanced over his shoulder, he could no longer see the man who had shot at him. But a black SUV was coming up on him, it was almost identical to the one the other two men had.

"Director James-" a familiar voice began.

"MR. WIZARD!" Jeremy said frantically as he dove behind a car to avoid a shot gun blast that emanated from the passenger window of the SUV. "GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" he panted as he heard the car door open on the other side. He rose up over the car and fired three times at the man who emerged. All three rounds hit him in the chest and caused him to fall back. But he did not bleed. Jeremy seized this opportunity and ran for his life while the man recovered. "God damn bullet proof vests" he muttered. He returned the phone to his ear just in time to hear Al say.

"What the hell is going on?!?!?" James shouted in a panicky tone.

"Just turn on CNN i'm sure we're all over the news by now..... listen I need you to look up some information for me it's case file number RNT57424 you got that?" Jeremy said sprinting down a alley way in an attempt to get away from the men.

"Yeah just one second" he hard Al typing on his computer and a few moments later he herd "what do you need to know?"

"First off on that operation we had a warehouse out on long island that had supplies in it.... is it still there and does it have anything of use in it?" he asked. He had ducked inside of a small coffee shop to try to catch his breathe, he slipped the eagle into his jacket as he walked in.

"Yes it's still there and it's fully stocked.... guns, ammo, and if this log is correct there storing a car out there too a ford GT it says here." Al said back over the phone "keys under the carpet on the passenger's side.... same as always..... Jeremy is the sample safe?" he asked apprehensively.

"Yes god dammit, and now I want you to look and see if the safe house we set up in Queens is still logged and is there anyone using it?.... sorry that's from case number UMA79342" he said quietly as he walked up to the counter. "Can I just have a bottle of water please?" he asked addressing the blond teenage girl behind the counter.

"Sure" she said looking a little puzzled. She walked to a cooler near by to retrieve it. Jeremy heard a bell chime as the door to the coffee shop opened.

"Alright that safe house is still around and is currently unused, i'll go ahead and tell the security department to ignore the burglar alarm were gonna get in a couple of hours...... need anything else?"

"No..... thanks....." the girl returned setting Jeremy's water on the counter and then unexpectedly said

"Can I help you officers?"

Jeremy turned on a dime and delivered a crashing blow into the right side of one of the officers faces. The second one attempted to jam a gun into his face, however he seized the officers arm and flung it to the right, the gun discharged a round and the sound was accompanied by the sound of shattering glass and screaming as a display case full of cookies was reduced to powdered glass. Simultaneously delivering a swift blow into his stomach. The cop crumbled dropping his gun as he gasped for breathe. Jeremy delivered a final blow into his face and he lay motionless on the floor. He turned back put the phone to his ear and said "i have to go.... i'll contact you as soon as I can." he then hit end dropped the phone and crushed it to powder under his heel. Once he was sure the sim card was corrupted he skirted the counter were the teenager was crouching her hands over her head crying.

"Don't kill me please i'll do anything!!" she screamed still covering her head.

Jeremy ignored the comment "you got a cell phone?" he said trying to sound nonthreatening yet urgent at the same time.

"What?" she said raising her head slightly "y-yes why?"

"Give it to me!" he said commandingly simultaneously reaching for his back pocket. She fumbled for a moment with the phone in her pocket. She pulled it out and slid it across the floor to him. "Thanks.... heres 20 for the water 180 for the phone." he said as four 50 dollar bills floated down in front of her. He retrieved the phone and the water skirted the counter and headed for the door. He stopped next to one of the unconscious police officers. He reached down and pulled off his radio and ear piece.

He exited the store slipping the radio into the back of his jeans and inserting the ear piece into his ear. He looked around. There was no sign of the UBCS agents or additional police. He turned the bottle of water up and drained it as he dialed his own cell phone number. He pressed it to his ear swallowed and heard a very anxious Rebecca pick up and say "please tell me your alright".

"I'm fine not even a scratch, look you remember that warehouse we used as a command post when we were trying to figure out how umbrella's ships were getting into new york harbor?" Jeremy said looking around and spotting a clothing store.

"That place out on the water front.... yeah why?" Rebecca asked curiously.

"Go there, there should be guns. Ammo and a car. I'm headed that way too but if I'm not there in time go without me." he said knowing full well Rebecca would never do such a thing. "if I don't make it, you should head to a safe house in queens the address is 64374 Washington street."

"but-" Rebecca began sounding worried.

"there isn't any time Becca just please listen to me, believe me I don't want to face my own mortality any more than you do but we can't be naive about this..... do you think you can do that?"

"yes.... no body's even chasing us.... we'll head that way as soon as we get done changing clothes." Rebecca replied.

"Alright..... i'm going to ditch this phone so don't call me here..... and you should chuck my down a storm drain the first chance you get..... and Rebecca.....i love you..... and I promise i'll be there alright..... and you know I never brake a promise to friend." With that he hung up not even giving her the chance to reply.... He didn't want to think about her, he wanted to keep his mind on staying alive to see her again.

He walked into the clothing store putting the phone in his pocket. He walked to the wall and picked up a pair of carpenters pants a new T-shirt and a zip down hooded sweat shirt. He headed for the back room to change into them. As he passed the counter he dropped the stolen cell phone into a womens purse. She then turned and headed for the door not even noticing the addition. "that should slow them down at least a little bit." he thought silently.

He emerged from the dressing room 5 minutes later with the new clothes on he handed the cashier the tags and said he would just wear them out. He payed left and headed for a back alley were he disposed of his old clothes. He then continued down the alley to the next street in the direction of the warehouse. .

"What did he say?" Jill asked from the next dressing room. They were in a small store about 4 blocks from the restaurant, they were the only ones in the small dressing room.

"He said to head for a old ware house on the water front, and that he would meet us there and he knew were a safe place to hide was. Rebecca replied zipping up her sweat shirt and stepping out into the hallway.

"I'm sure he'll be fine Becca" Jill said placing her hand on Rebecca shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. A split second later Rebecca felt herself being pressed flat to the floor as a shot gun blast emanated from the main store. She turned her head and saw Chris pinned down on the opposite side of the store with three UBCS agents firing at him from different directions.

Rebecca and Jill rose slowly and still crouching made there way towards one of the nearby soldiers. As soon as they reached him he turned to fire but they were too quick for him. Jill landed a hard blow into the center of his face and his nose made a sickening crunch noise. Here and the man fell to floor kicking and punching a Rebecca seized the man's 44 caliber magnum that lay forgotten on the floor and lept behind the counter for cover. She peaked over the counter saw one of the men aiming straight for Chris who seemed to have run out of ammo. She fired at him twice. The first round his him square in the head. The second lodged in the wall behind him. She rotated and fired at the second man who was crouching behind a dress display. She hit him in the shoulder, his shot gun fell from his hands as he doubled over in pain.

Jill seemed to have knocked the third man unconciouse. She jumped behind the counter were Rebecca was and said "we have to go".... here Chriss\ catch, she tossed him a 38 caliber pistol she had retrieved from under the counter.

"Don't you need a-" Rebecca began.

"I have this" she said holding up a 32 caliber pistol. "I took it off that guy" she said indicating the unconscious man "must have had it as a back up."

"Come on!" Chris yelled from near the door. Jill and Rebecca both vaulted over the counter and ran for the door. As they emerged onto the street they heard a gruff voice yell out

"This is the NYPD drop your weapons and lay down on the pavement." there were 4 police officers standing to the right of them. They moved as if to encircle them, when Chris shouted

"Run for it!!!" they ran for their lives down an unblocked alleyway. They saw sparks fly from a dumpster as a round struck it and ricocheted into a wall.

"What do we do now?" Jill said panting as they rounded a corner and emerged onto a very busy street.

"Loose those guys and head to long island." Rebecca replied.

"What's in long island?" Chris asked. But there was a crash as a widow exploded near Rebecca's head. They looked in all directions but saw no shooter.

"SNIPER!" Rebecca yelled pushing Chris out of the way as a red dot appeared on his forehead.

"Can't we ever catch a brake?" Chris aid angrily as people ran in all directions. "Come on" he added quietly ducking low and heading down the street. He led them across the street and down into a subway station. He approached the wall and began examining the trains to long island.

"This is insane!" Rebecca panted clutching at a stitch in her chest. "and look for a station near the water front" she added pointing at a section of the map.

"Looks like we take the F train to-" Chris began but stopped. "no time he said quietly.... stay low lets get out tickets get on and get the hell out of here." he said this eyeing a man in a long over coat that had just reached the bottom of the stairs and was looking around. They moved slowly through the crowded station and purchased there tickets trying not to draw attention to themselves. They managed to make it onto the train without incident.

"Looks like we lost them" Rebecca breathed quietly, but her heart sank as the the man, who was now accompanied by two more similar looking men stepped onto the train behind them.

"Has anyone ever told you quit while your ahead" Chris muttered his hand under his coat on his gun. But the three men walked away and sat down apart from them.

"so there not?" Jill began.

"No they are..... but if they kill us in here they have no were to run to." Rebecca said anxiously. "there gonna wait till we get onto the street.... .guess we'll just have to be ready for them." With that they walked to the end of the car and together. They kept eying the three men in over coats. All of them contemplating what move they would make next.

_**. Alright I will say at this point I do not live in New York I have never lived in or even been to New York. So as far as the city lay out goes i'm pretty much making it up as I go. Part III of this should rap up this part of the story..... I never intended this part to be so long but it's a lot of fun to write action sequences and it seems to be getting positive results so hope you enjoyed it and i'll try to have the conclusion to this section out by this time next week.... no promises though, RE5 is currently consuming most of my free time.. **_


	13. Perfume and Petroleum Part III

_I Apologize for the delay on this one.... like i said in my bio i'm about to graduate high school so i don't have as much time to write as i would like. Anyway heres the conclusion of this scene, i'm hoping the future updates will come sooner. _

Perfume and Petroleum Part III

They sat in the crowded car eying the three assassins. Chris stood up walked to the map tacked up on the opposite wall and began inspecting it for a stop near the warehouses on long island. After about five minutes he returned and whispered to Jill and Rebecca "three stops from here is the closest we can get.

"OK now what do we do about those three?" Jill asked indicating the three rather poorly disguised umbrella agents sitting at the opposite end of the car.

"I can't think of anyway we can get rid of them without endangering everyone else here. Besides if we get implicated in all of this were all going down..... the BSAA doesn't have any authority in america.... neither does the CIA for that matter and as far as Langley is concerned me and Jeremy don't exist." Rebecca replied keeping her voice low so that only Jill and Chris could hear. The train rattled to a stop.

"That's one..... two more now..... and i'm with you Becca we need to think of an alternative to fighting." Chris said though with guarded certainty. "Think we might be able to get away from them?"

"Don't know.... they won't be able to run very fast without exposing there weapons, blowing there cover and drawing attention to themselves."

"True.... but Chris and I don't know were the warehouse is." Jill said glancing towards the men who seemed to be discussing there tactics in whispers as well.

Rebecca looked at the map on the wall. "OK you two when we get out of the underground turn right and run straight down that street until you see a warehouse with a sign hanging over it that says "Avid Imports". She paused as the train stopped passengers began moving. "Thats two so we get off at the next one?" Rebecca asked a little louder over the din of shuffling foot steps.

"Yes" Chris hissed back.

"OK head into the warehouse with that sign on it. When you get inside if those three are still chasing you..... take care of them and we'll worry about it later." she added contemplating what they would all face if they were caught. "I'll circle around and meet you inside the warehouse."

"Alright and after that?" Chris questioned.

"We wait as long as we can for Jeremy but if he we don't hear from him..... we head for the safe house in queens and figure out our next move from there." Rebecca finished though without much confidence. At that moment the doors opened for the third time. "Time to work lets go." Rebecca added standing up and moving with the other two towards the door. 5 Minutes later the three reached the stairs leading up and out of the dingy subway station. "You two remember the warehouse?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes.... and we go right you go left." Chris aid quietly. The men had continued to follow them but were keeping there distance. "Ready?" Chris said, half a statement half a question.

"Go" Jill said forcefully, and the three simultaneously moved. They sprinted up the stairs onto the street and in three different directions. Rebecca headed left and immediately down an alleyway. Jill stayed on there side of the street and sprinted to the right. Chris ran straight through traffic and continued down the street parallel to Jill.

Rebecca was surprised when she looked back and saw no one was following her. She turned left at the end of the alley and began walking slowly along the side walk. She kept glancing over her shoulder wandering were her tail was. She continued like this for about three blocks until she saw the familiar sign hanging from the back of the warehouse saying "Avid Imports". She could hear commotion inside. She figured it was simply Jill and Chris "taking care" of the three tails they had seen. She opened the side door and immediately jumped back as a hail of gunfire came at her from inside. Removing the revolver from her pocket she peered inside using the metal door as a shield and called "Chris Jill!"

"We're all right!" Jill's voice called back. Theres two on the top floor we can't get an angle on.

Rebecca gave no reply she simply moved back down the alley and scaled the fire escape. There was an entrance on the roof that led to the balcony that ran around the entire upper half of the warehouse. She peaked over the top of the fireescape and saw a guard standing there. He was facing the opposite direction from her smoking a cigarette and muttering. She aimed the revolver carefully and without a word sent a round straight through the back of his head. He fell to the ground with a thud as she stepped onto the roof. She crossed quickly to the door and pulled the door that led directly into the warehouse up. One of the shooters was standing directly bellow the door. He turned at the sudden change in light. Rebecca fired twice. Both rounds struck him and he fell dead almost instantly. After that the shooting stopped. Rebecca dropped onto the balcony positioned herself on one knee and began pivoting looking for anymore agents. She saw none so she moved forward and down the ladder leading the ground floor.

"Thanks Becca" Chris breathed as he reached her.

"Don't thank me yet" Rebecca said back breathing heavily

She pulled the car door open and began feeling the carpet for the lump where the keys were hidden. She found it, but dived away a second later as the back door to the warehouse burst open and in rushed 6 armed men. "Don't these guys ever give up?" Chris shouted diving behind a barricade of wooden pallets for cover. These men were not as heavily armed as the first ones had been. They carried only pistols. Rebecca reached into the car and opened the glove box. The item she desired fell into her hand. She flipped open the knife and jabbed at the carpet with it. She managed to get the blade under the key and pry it up.

To spite the soldiers light weaponry they were certainly keeping Jill and Chris occupied, Jill was crouching behind a wall of about 6 large oil drums, roughly ten feet away from Chris. "I got it!" Rebecca screamed. She lunged into the car slipping the key into the ignition. She twisted trying to situate herself into the drivers seat as the engine roared to life. There was a loud plunk as two of the oil drums tipped over as Jell pelted for the car. Rebecca felt her heart skip a beat as the smell of petroleum assailed her nostrils. "HURRY" she yelled.

Jill dived between the front seat that was leaning slightly forward and landed crunched into a small ball in the tiny back seat. Rebecca shifted to drive as Chris ran at them full on, as bullets stuck in the bullet proof glass and armored sides. "Gun it!!!" Chris commanded his legs still hanging out side. Rebecca obeyed, the car rocketed forward in the near total darkness towards the roll up aluminum door. The force of the accelleration forced the passenger door closed just as Chris got his right leg inside.

The world bloomed out around them as they crashed through the aluminum door and street lights blazed to life in there view. A split second later there was a enormose explosion from the warehouse behind them. Rebecca pulled the parking brake while pushing the gas pedal, successfully drifting into the right lane on the street. She saw the fire and smoke in her rear view, she also noted that fire was chasing there tires which were leaving gasoline soaked skid marks all the way down the deserted street. "Watch out!" Chris yelled. Rebecca slammed on the brake but it was to late.

Fortunately the man jumped and curled into a ball. He landed on his back on the hood and rolled over the windshield and roof. The car skidded to a halt and Rebecca opened her door and looked back. To her amazement she saw Jeremy straightening up massaging his back. "How did you-" she began a split second later as he approached the drivers die door.

"Move over I'm driving" he said out of breathe. She obeyed climbing between the two seats into the back beside Jill. Jeremy sat down in the drivers seat and floored it. There tires spun as the took off down the street passing several police cruisers and fire trucks headed in the opposite direction. "Sorry i'm late I had to lose the cops that were chasing me." Jeremy said turning down a deserted alley barely big enough for the car to fit through.

"It's alright.... what the hell happened?" Rebecca said as her and Jill tried to find a comfortable way to share the tiny backseat. Jeremy recounted the tale of how he had been chased by the UBCS, and how after stealing the cops radio he had been able to stay a step ahead of them most of the rest of the way to the warehouse.

"So were they UBCS or not?" Chris asked "the UBCS died with the last base in Russia.... didn't they?" he said sounding worried.

"I'm not so sure that was the last base Chris." Jeremy replied "but what I do know is were gonna find out." he said sounding rather angrily. "god dammit...... this isn't exactly how I expected the evening to go." he said pounding the steering wheel.

"Say" Rebecca piped up a moment later suddenly remembering "what were you gonna tell me?"

"I wasn't gonna tell you I was gonna ask you...... ask you...." His mouth had gone dry, he hadn't wanted to ask her now.... not like this.

"Jeremy.... were you gonna ask me to marry you?" Rebecca asked a second later. To spite all that happened in the past few hours she felt herself smiling widely.

"I had meant to do it right but under the circumstances" he reached into the pocket of his jacket, extracted a small black velvet box and reached it back to her. Rebecca opened the box and began examining the ring. It was solid platinum with three diamonds on the top. The one in the middle significantly larger than the other two. "It isn't much but..... what do you say. " Jeremy added sounding more scared than anything.

Rebecca was a little surprised to hear the fear. In the past three hours they had been shot at, chased by police and bounty hunters, and nearly blown up twice. But the first time he sounded scared was when asking her to marry him. "What do you think I say?" she said sarcastically simultaneously slipping the ring onto her left hand. "I say you better start pick your best man."

"Yaaaaaaaaay" Jill said leaning across and hugging Rebecca.

"Congratulations" Chris said punching Jeremy on the arm "thought you were gonna chicken out there for a second.

"Which reminds me" Jill said braking away from Rebecca "when are you gonna get me a ring and make it official?" Jill said incredulously.

"Well I uh..... I." Chris stammered. They all laughed as Jeremy pulled into the driveway of the house in Queens. They hopped the fence hoping the back door would be unlocked.

"I could pick it if I had something to pick it with." Jeremy said eying the lock on the sliding glass door. "Theres no lock bar in place." There was a loud bang a few seconds later as Chris launched a rock through the left pane of glass. "Or we could do that I suppose." Jeremy said rubbing his chin as the four burst out laughing again. They stepped through the now glassless door. I'll go and find us some clothes to change into you guys see if they know who we are on the news." Jeremy said heading for the staircase as Rebecca pressed the power button the tv.

Jeremy pulled out several outfits from a closet upstairs. This house was fitted to serve a variety of people that might use it so there were sizes for all of them. He found a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt for Chris. A long black skirt and t-shirt with a white Jacket for Jill, a pair of dark blue jeans with ripped knees and a black hooded sweat shirt for Rebecca. He turned back and found a pair of brown sweat pants and a sweat shirt for himself. He stopped and thought for second. He felt inside of his jacket and removed two test tubes rapped in cellophane from his interior coat pocket. This was what the UBCS had been after he was sure of it. This was the only remaining sample of the virus that had appeared in the Russian base. He was supposed to deliver to Langley, then take his pension and leave the CIA forever.... He had hoped to be only hours away from being finished with the blood shed and violence. Just hours from a normal life with Rebecca. He placed his hands on the bed leaned into them and breathed. His priority now was to get to the nearest base which was outside of a small town in upstate New York.

He changed clothes, hiding the test tubes under the jacket that he put back on. He walked down stairs and heard Rebecca call "They didn't get a good look at us."

He sighed "should be easy then" he said entering the living room and throwing each there respective outfit. "We're going to a base about 3 and a half hours upstate. Any objections?" no one spoke "good then lets go before one of the neighbors reports a bullet riddled car parked in the driveway.

"Speaking of which wont that raise some questions getting out of town?" Jill said

"There should be another car in the garage attached to the house.... lets go see" Jeremy said heading for the door. He had been correct there was a SUV parked in the garage with the keys dangling in the ignition.

___**"waves hand mystically" this is the review button your looking for.  
**_

_For the record this chapter was originally much much longer, Part III origiinally included alot more action with all of the characters and i included them raching the base which is in the next chapter. I have that pretty much done and will probably post it in a few days. Also i kinda rushed this chapter out of guilt for leaving off on a cliff hander and taking almost two months. So this isn't my best work and it definitely isn't refined to my standards but i hope you enjoyed it. _


	14. Promotion

Promotion

They arrived at the base which was hidden in the forest near a small town named "Still Water Falls". Which consisted of mostly retired C.I.A and former navy seals. The town was small, it only had one intersection, which was a four way stop with a caution light blinking above it.

Jeremy brought the SVU to a stop at this stop sign trying to get his bearings. He had only been here a handful of times and always during the day. He turned right heading east back out of town. The other three were asleep. They had fallen asleep one by one shortly after leaving the hustle and bustle of the big apple behind. He turned left down a gravel road hoping he had estimated the distance correctly. His estimation was correct a few minutes later he saw a metal gate on the right side of the road. He pulled just past it and backed into a small clearing so that the car was facing the gate.

The other three awoke as the car jerked violently as it accelerated and crashed through the metal gate which bounced shut once the car had passed through.

"What the hell was that?" Chris exclaimed looking around sleepily.

"The gates spring loaded so it closes automatically once your through." Jeremy replied as a black building came into view. Jeremy brought the car to a stop at the gate and reached for his badge.

"Not necessary." said a man dressed completely in black that approached the drivers side window which was partially rolled down., "We've been expecting all of you." he added as the chain linked gate swung open.

"That's not good is it?" Rebecca asked. Remembering how "we've been expecting you" was usually followed by someone getting reamed for a breach in protocol.

"Probably not" Jeremy said rather coolly. Rebecca recognized the tone as the one that always preceded a explosion. The car went down a ramp and through a open door into a enormous underground bunker. There were many other cars parked in here and to spite the fact that it was nearly three o'clock in the morning there were a great deal of people around. Jeremy parked the car in an empty space. Rebecca saw the fight coming before she took off her seat belt. Danny Frost was walking briskly towards them looking madder than she had ever seen him. Allaster seemed to be chasing and calling to him.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING MARKEN-" The rest of the sentence was drown by Jeremy's roar of

"I WAS THINKING OF HOW TO GET OUT ALI-" which was cut off by Frost's scream of.

"YOUR ALL OVER THE NEWS!" which was followed by Jeremy's scream of

"OH SORRY I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT PUBLIC RELATIONS WHILE BEING SHOT AT BY BOUNTY HUNTERS!" Frost interjected attempting to interrupt Jeremy, but Jeremy voice rose faster than Frosts. The rest of the conversation was incomprehensible. There voices echoed throughout the underground garage reverberating off the walls and obscured further by the sound of others yelling and running foot steps. After about a minute of this gargle Allaster intervened.

"THAT'S ENOUGH BOTH OF YOU IN MY OFFICE NOW!!!!!" His voice cut through the roaring din. "THAT IS AN ORDER!!!!" He added severely. Both men fell silent on the last word. Frost looked incredulously at Allaster before turning away. Jeremy waited a moment before following, trying to distance himself from the Director. "Rebecca you and your friends take the elevator down to the 2nd floor of the living area.... the room is 125, heres the key" Allaster said handing Rebecca a small silver key. "go make your selves at home, and i'm sorry about that" he added to Chris and Jill. Obviously embarrassed at the immaturity his agents had showed. He then turned without another word and strode after Jeremy towards a door at the far end of the hallway.

"Why cant we-" Chris began.

"I'll explain it on the way down..... come on lets go." Rebecca said interrupting him simultaneously moving for the elevator and trying to think of a easy way to explain the systems of security clearance. "Something tells me there gonna be in there a while."

When Allaster entered the room Frost was sitting in a chair near the door while Jeremy leaned against the right hand wall glaring at the director. "First of all you two ever pull a stunt like that again and I will personally make sure your thrown out of the agency... no questions asked." he added "Now Jeremy.... I need you to tell both of us what happened and if you interrupt either one of us Frost i'll make damn sure you loose your command got it" he added warningly as Frost showed every sign of wanting to continue reaming Jeremy.

45 minutes later Jeremy had recounted most of the evenings events. He had omitted his proposal to Rebecca as well as the incident in the coffee shop, he didn't want to hear a speech about how that stop had been unnecessary. "But anyway... here" Jeremy said removing the cellophane rapped vials from his coat pocket and handing them to Allaster "this is what you really want isn't it James?" Jeremy said.

James examined it "very good.... you did an excellent job my friend. " he added turning the vials over and over in his fingers.

"Excellent Job!?!?!" Frost roared in outrage "he must have broken every protocol we have not to mention-" he seemed to be at a loss as to how to describe his rage "You just wait Markenson i'm gonna-"

"Cut the shit Frost Jeremy doesn't answer to you anymore." James cut across him still examining the vials.

"I'm being reassigned?" Jeremy said sounding surprised.

"Well since our sources tell us that Umbrella is still around and the UBCS appears to be just as strong as before I don't think your going to take that retirement I offered you are you?" James asked looking Jeremy directly in the eye for the first time in conversation.

"No." Jeremy said still sounding puzzled.

"Well then congratulations" James said reaching into his desk and pulling out a badge with a large golden emblem on the front of it. "Jeremiah Alan Markenson you are now the first ever Captain of Operation Loadstones S.T.A.R.S devision." He handed Jeremy the badge. "I was going to offer it to you as incentive to stay but I suppose now you don't need any incentive."Jeremy's eyes widened at the sight of the large golden emblem that was reserved for squadron commanders. Frost on the other hand looked as though someone had hit him in the face with a baseball bat.

"but...... but" he said clearly searching for words.

"Don't worry Frost your not being demoted, however Captain Markenson as the head of a division is your equal."

On the last word Frost's face lost what little color it had retained as he turned and walked briskly from the room slamming the door behind him.

"Real piece of work isn't he?" James added leaning back in his chair. "Sit down Jeremy.... an occasion such as this deserves a drink." He retrieved from under his desk a bottle of Bourbon and two glasses. He filled both glasses as Jeremy sank into the chair immediately across from the desk.

He reached up and laid the badge on the desk having finished examining the departmental I.D It contained. He picked up the glass and as he leaned back in the chair "not that I'm not honored and all but..... what exactly is the S.T.A.R.S unit gonna do here?" he asked pressing the glass to his lips and taking a small sip.

"Thought you'd never ask" James replied setting down his glass and retrieving a pile of folders from inside his desk. "S.T.A.R.S is going to take over investigating and handling all matters pretaining to umbrella..... as of now Umbrella is no longer our top priority.... seeing as they seem to have been substantially weekend.... and do to the fact that we're kinda mixed up in two wars right now.... Langley feels that Umbrella is less of a threat then certain..... other organizations." He paused to take a drink.

Jeremy examined the folders James had given him. They were personnel files. "Your team will be comprised of 7 people, yourself included. You'll be working out of our base of operation in London, Chris Redfield will be your Luetenant or second in command and Jill is going to handle relations between all of you and the Global Pharmaceutical Consortium. Rebecca is your Medic and Michael is your tactician. Sam's on your team as well as a..... well he's good at getting coffee anyway." James added laughing.

"So Jill and Chris are on my team?" Jeremy said still struggling to grasp this concept.

"Yes the BSAA has agreed to loan them to us for the purposes of counter intelligence..... meaning they want to stay on good terms with us for the moment." James added.

"You just named a total of 5.... add me that makes 6 who's the 7th?" Jeremy asked.

James sighed "I hand picked the first 5, the 6th in your crew was assigned from the top..... Don't know who he is but I know he's a damn good shot with a sniper riffle and has previous experience with Umbrella..... his file should be on the bottom."

Jeremy pulled the bottom folder out and began to open it. "Whoa!" James said loudly placing a hand on the folder preventing it from being opened. "Don't get caught up in that crap right now Jeremy.... you and your friends have another 10 days of vacation before you begin your new assignments... Go explain all this to your friends, celebrate and have some fun. This file will wait. " He said smiling "and chances are you have a fiancé who is feeling quite neglected right about now" he added.

Jeremy's eyes snapped from the folder to James at the sound of the word fiancé "how did you?" he spluttered.

James grinned "I was a spy to ya know... you would be surprised how big of a reflection a small diamond makes under florescent lightning."

"Thanks.... i'll leave this for later" Jeremy replied shutting the folder without looking at it."and thanks..... I know you had to pull some strings for this to happen..... by the way why name my division S.T.A.R.S?"

""In honor of the people that let the truth be known..... if it weren't for them..... I'm not sure we could've stopped Umbrella in time..... and I honestly didn't have to do much other then pick your team..... seems someone higher then me thinks your doing good to..... Your mother would be proud to see were you are..... You know that right?" James added.

"Were I am.... maybe...... what i've done would make her turn over in her grave." Jeremy turned to leave. "By the way" he said looking over his shoulder as he opened the door "you can tell me what that sample really is when i'm back on duty..... I took a few minutes and hacked the terminal by it in Russia..... the data was partially corrupted but it wasn't the virus that made that monster that Chris and Jill killed."

James simply smiled a little wider "why am I not even the least bit surprised....... go put those folders in your locker then go have sex with your girlfriend.... you let this job take to much of you and you wind up losing more then just weight.... remember that.

"I will" Jeremy replied closing the door behind him. It was finally sinking in. He had a command of his own. He had something that many of the senior agents would have killed to have. The happiness of this surged through him. He walked to the elevator and pressed the button, now staring at the badge in his left hand.

5 minutes later Jeremy knocked on the door of room 125. Rebecca answered now clad flannel pajamas. "I was beginning to wonder what you three were doing down there." She said stepping back as he walked into the room. "Whats with the folders..... don't tell me we already have more work to do." Rebecca said despairingly.

"You don't..... but I do." Jeremy said as Chris emerged from the bathroom and Jill rose from the armchair at the far end of the room. "James just promoted me.....I'm head of the new S.T.A.R.S division.... Captain to be precise."

"That's great" Rebecca yelled throwing her arms around him. "Are we still gonna be on the same team?" she asked braking away.

"Yes.... in fact" he said turning to Chris and Jill "you two have been reassigned to us as well." Jeremy said half expecting Chris to say he would rather be drug out and shot than answer to him.

Jill laughed "Just remember one thing..... I hold the marksmen award for handguns in the BSAA..... just something you might want to remember in case you get any ideas about having me get your coffee."

"I'm second place" Chris said snickering. "As much as I hate to have to call you captain... It will be nice to be under someone who speaks English as a first language." Chris said still laughing. "Come on lets celebrate."

Several hour's later Jeremy awoke. He looked at the clock. It read 4:53 AM. He was almost certain they had arrived before one. He disentangled himself from Rebecca and pulled his blue jeans and sweatshirt back on. He heard Rebecca stirring. He tip toed across and retrieved the personnel files from the desk. He then moved silently into the study. He shut the door and switched on the light. He wanted to know who this new guy was, he didn't know why but he was getting a slightly bad feeling about this.

He sat the files down on the desk and sank into the chair. He retrieved the top file and opened it. On the front page was a picture of a man paper clipped to the general information sheet. He examined it. It depicted a man wearing a grey muscle shirt with slicked back black hair and 5 o'clock shadow. He set the photo aside and read the name at the top of the sheet. "Lieutenant Billy Coen United States Marine Core." he read aloud. The name stirred something in his memory, but he wasn't sure what, he had never seen him before that much he was sure of.... but the name. He scanned down the sheet when the phrase "sentenced to death" caught his eye. This again stirred a memory but again he couldn't place it. He suddenly felt two small familiar arms close around his neck. He dropped his hands to desk as he heard Rebecca breathe "come on workaholic you have more important duties to perform." She said sneakily

"Thought you were asleep?" Jeremy said his hands still holding the folder.

"One time? Yeah right.... but I figured i'd let you get some sleep seeing as you didn't get any on the way here" she kissed his neck softly "come on Captain work can wait, I on the other hand-"

Jeremy shut and dropped the folder. He stood up and turned Rebecca pulled herself up and rapped her legs around him. He carried her back into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. As he pulled off the sweatshirt he was wearing he decided that Rebecca and James were right. Work would wait, and so would the mystery of how he knew the name Billy Coen. For now he would concentrate on who was really important to him.

_**Sorry about the wait. Went on an unexpected memorial day weekend trip. Anyway I want to say thank you to Gotta Dance 88, she seems to be the only who constantly reviews this story and is the main reason I am continuing it. I hope that isn't because she is the only one who is reading this story lol. By the way this plot twist here, this is kinda supposed to be the driving plot of this story.... yeah I know it took a while to get too but it's really what I was planing to do all along, The other stuff just wound up taking longer to do then I thought, mainly do to the amount of detail I try to put into my work.... wonder if thats a bad thing? Anyway please give me some more reviews and hope you enjoyed this. **_


	15. Friend or Foe

Friend or Foe

Jeremy stood on the roof of the Colorado base were he and Rebecca had come five years prior. He was looking at the western horizon. It was a dull crimson glow. Twilight was on its way. But this was not the arrival he was awaiting. He was waiting for the arrival of the final member of his team, Billy Coen. He had still not been able to figure out were he knew the name from. He had racked his brain for days on end but to no avail. He wondered if seeing him in person would help. He saw on the horizon a tiny spec he knew to be a helicopter.

His quarry was quashed as the helicopter landed and a tall man with black hair stepped out. Jeremy stared at him. He was clad in a pair of blue jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Jeremy made note that he had resilience if nothing else, do to the fact that it could have been no more then 20 degrees outside and helicopters weren't exactly warm. The cold didn't bother Jeremy either, he wore only a hooded sweat shirt for warmth.

"Hello, I'm Jeremy" he said walking forward and extending a hand. "nice to meet you."

"Lieutenant Billy Coen" he replied rather curtly shaking his hand. "Your the squad commander right?"

"I'm the team captain yes.... have you been briefed?"

Billy sneered slightly "right to business huh there cap?...... and no I couldn't get anyone to tell me a damn thing.... they said it would all be explained here."

Jeremy was surprised at the informality of the statement. But seeing as everyone else there was on a first name basis with him he wasn't going to hold it against Billy. "Do you prefer Bill or Billy?" Jeremy asked.

"Billy" he replied.

"Well Billy you will be fully briefed along with everyone else..... i'm headed there now..... oh and I need to see you after the briefing." Jeremy finished turning to head for the door.

"am I in trouble already?" Billy asked slightly apprehensive.

"No..." Jeremy turned with his hand on the door handle to face billy. "but I don't work with fuck ups or losers..... around here team mates are like blood we watch out for each other and back each others plays..... I wanna know more about you then whats in your personnel file." Jeremy said firmly.

"I can respect that..... Semper Fi?" Billy said questioningly.

"Semper fi" Jeremy replied opening the door and proceeding in.

_**A/N: Semper Fi is short for the latin words Semper Fidelis and is the slogan of the united states marine core and roughly translates into English as always faithful. **_

__They arrived at a conference room about 5 minutes later. They could hear voices inside. "You ready?" Jeremy asked

"Yeah"

Jeremy opened the door and nearly everyone stopped talking. Chris and Jill were leaning against the left hand wall talking. Rebecca and Michael were sitting across from Sam at the large oval shaped conference table. "Everyone..... this is the final member of our team..... Billy Coen." Billy stepped through the door to a round of "hellos" from various people. This was however interrupted by a loud bang as Rebecca's chair hit the wall as she sprang to her feet.

All the color had drained from her face. Everyone turned to look at her including Billy. Billy and Rebecca's eyes met for the first time. He immediately rushed towards her and swept her into a hug."Rebecca..... I thought I'd never see you again." The room was completely silent watching this spectacle.

"Billy!" Rebecca said in a voice that sounded completely unnatural. She pushed him back propelling herself into another chair. "What how?" she spluttered.

"OOOOOO" Sam began. This however precluded as Michael rose from his chair with a look that told Sam if he continued that his body would never be found.

"Becca and Billy can I talk to you for a second?" Jeremy said with the look of someone who has just been hit very hard in the stomach. Rebecca and Billy obeyed the request. They walked past Jeremy out of the once more silent room, into the deserted hallway. "Come" Jeremy said simply. He proceeded down the hall three doors opened it and ushered them inside.

The room they entered was fairly large. With a desk a book shelf and two chairs. The large S.T.A.R.S emblem hanging behind the desk told them exactly were they were. "Something you forgot to tell me?" Jeremy said with the aura of someone who might explode at any moment. As he said this he folded his arms and leaned back against his desk. He tilted his head downward like someone does when there peering over a pair of glasses.

"Uh.... Billy was the guy that uh....." Rebecca fumbled for words. She had told Jeremy the story of her and Billy before..... she had just omitted certain details about there relationship. "helped me get to the mansion in the first place.... remember?" she asked.

"Explains why the name sounded familiar" Jeremy replied rather coldly his eyes shifting from Rebecca to Billy.

"Something I should know about?" Billy asked looking from Jeremy who was still glaring over his imaginary glasses at him. To Rebecca who's eyes were downcast and who seemed incapable of standing still. "is there something between you two?..... I mean more then just co workers?" he asked suspiciously. Several silent seconds went by.

"We're engaged actually." Jeremy said shooting a evil look at Rebecca. The fact that she had not jumped to reveal this fact was unnerving to him. "If you have a problem with that-"

"No..... no i'm happy for the two of you." Billy said though not at all convincingly.

"Clearly...... look around here we put our lives in each others hands so there can't be ANY bad blood between any of us..... you two understand me? That means if this is a problem you better say so now so we can work it out...... If you don't your gonna end up getting yourselves or someone else killed..... You got me?" Jeremy said his eyes flicking back and forth between them.

"Yes" they echoed each other.

"Good then lets return.... shall we" he said unfolding his arms and standing up straight. Upon there return to the room everyone tried very hard not to appear curious. Director Al was already standing at the far end of the room near a white screen. He waved to all three of them as they walked in. They all returned his wave and sat down.

"I had a speech prepared for all of you about the basics of umbrella..... but i think we can skip that obligatory bull shit cant we?.... you have all dealt with umbrella before correct?" his question was answered with a simultaneous nod. "Good..... now on our last mission we destroyed a base in Russia that was housing umbrellas final three projects...... Our BSAA friends over there" he said pointing to Chris and Jill " were kind enough to dispose of one of them.... the second is believed to be a variation of the T-Veronica virus. Which we have already developed a inoculation to....." He paused for a moment" the third however we were able to recover a sample of." Everyone except Billy's eyes darted to Jeremy. He however did not appear to be paying the slightest bit of attention. He was tipping his chair back on two legs staring up at the sealing. He had either heard this before or didn't care. "This third virus seems to be what they were hoping to profit from. It stimulates the growth of muscles and nerve fibers making the subject stronger and granting faster reflexes."

"Dont steroids do that?" Sam asked raising his hand.

"Steroids don't grow nerve fiber, they also take months were as this takes a matter of roughly 20 – 30 minutes." Allaster said evenly. He had learned how to control the tone of his voice over his career. As a director he couldn't show dislike towards an individual. "This virus also appears to in some way or another re-alter a persons brain chemistry and rob them of there free will..... that means if you tell a man who was apposed to the death penalty before he was injected to slaughter a class of pre-school students.... he would do it..... and not think twice about it either." Allaster said seriously "This virus appears to have already be perfected and is being mass produced as we speak..... can you imagine the ramification if this gets out?..... I cant think of a government on the planet that wouldn't pay to have this...... Thus your number one priority is to find the base were this virus is being stored. We have determined that Umbrella is operating through a shell company called Industrial Biomedical Alternatives Incorporated. They are operating through out south America Africa and Australia. We already have agents doing intelligence gathering for you down there.... So" he said clapping his hands together. "Welcomes to stars ladies and gentlemen I will relay intelligence to you as it comes in and you can decide collectively what your first move should be."

Everyone moved simultaneously to leave. There was a a racket of dragging chairs as everyone stood and stretched. The briefing seemed to have flew by. No one could believe it had been nearly two hours. Jeremy turned just in time to see Rebecca disappear out the door, clearly trying to move as fast as she could without attracting attention to herself. Jeremy began walking briskly after her. He needed to talk to her. He needed to know what was really happening. What he had said was the truth.... there couldn't be any bad blood between them. But he thought she might be a little more open with him over dinner. He sped up in the hall way. He was almost at a slow jog. "Hey Becca" he called sounding quite cheerful to spite his coolness before "i was wondering if-"

"If what!!?" she said very angrily "if I lied to you? If there IS or WAS something between me and him? Hmmmmm that was you wanted to know? Cause the answer is no there is not was not and will never be!" Rebecca finished panting slightly. Jeremy looked shocked. It was clear he hadn't expected the outburst.

"i was just gonna ask if you wanted to grab some dinner....." he said quietly. He had intended to ask her about Billy..... but it had never entered his thoughts that there might have been something between them.

"oh well I uh" Rebecca said flustered. She had been sure he was about to confront her about Billy. "Look Jeremy this is all just weird and.... well maybe there was-" she broke off as Jeremy raised his hand.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me if you don't want to." Jeremy said simply.

"huh?" Rebecca said looking puzzled.

"your past is your past and your allowed to have secrets if you want to..... Rebecca I know the word "trust" gets thrown around a lot but I honestly do trust you...... if you say there was is and never will be anything then I believe you.... simple as that." Jeremy finished smiling for the first time since he had first seen Billy.

"Who are you and what have you done with Jeremy?" Rebecca said in a tone of disbelief. "and can I have the number to your therapist."

Jeremy laughed "how do you expect us to spend the rest of our lives together if we don't trust each other?" He grinned "Look do you wanna talk? Or do you want to just be alone right now?"

"I.... I just need some space right now.... this whole thing has been..... weird..." Rebecca finished lamely.

"OK" Jeremy said in a simple tone of finality "you go up to the room or outside or whatever you want to do..... Doc's been after me for a month to come and play poker with them...... I'll see you later alright." He pecked her on the cheek and walked away.

She stared after him, it had been years since she thought about Billy. It had been even longer since she had contemplated being with anyone except Jeremy. She slumped against the wall. Why was it affecting her so much. Billy had been a one time thing. She had feelings for him at the time but when she looked back later it seemed foolish. Why was the simple sight of him stirring her emotions and mixing her feelings for the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with....She rubbed her face with her hands. She needed to think she needed to be by herself.... This was something that no one could help her with.

_**SORRY for the wait..... it wasn't writers block it was just me being to lazy to write there for a long time. But now i'm getting back in the saddle and trying to write more. By the way if anyone is unclear one time thing = one night stand essentially... I know that isn't the way it happened in the video game but this is completely A/U anyway lol. I'll try to update soon I promise! But it is more enticing to write if I have lots and lots of reviews(cough hint cough). **_


	16. Tribulations and Traps

Apologies for the wait, had a rather tough semester. I hope to be able to write more now, I will certainly try to write a lot over winter brake. Anyway to make up for the wait this chapter is a bit longer than normal and I hope to be able to post another chapter by no later than saturday night, and last but not least I don't own resident evil read review feel free to flame but above all enjoy!

Tribulations and Traps

"Hey.... heeeeeeeeey!" Rebecca cheered at Jeremy who awoke with a start.

"I'm who wait what" he said staring around confused.

"Right here silly." Rebecca said waiving at him through the computer screen.

"Oh Jesus..... Don't scare me like Becca" he said breathing heavily, staring at the computer screen. "What are you doing up this time of night?"

"It's still daylight over here in AFRICA!" Rebecca said amused "So hows the director thing working out for you?"

"Ya know I kinda figured it would be more shooting and figuring stuff out... instead I'm stuck here filling out requisitions" he said smiling. He hadn't seen her since she had departed to assist the other agents in gathering intelligence over seas. After the briefing he had divided his team among the three areas were umbrella was prevalent. Chris and Jill were in Australia, Michael and Sam had managed to narrow down there search field to the country of Bileeze. Rebecca and Billy had managed to narrow down the africa search to the country of south africa. "Thought you all couldn't figure out how the web cams worked... You've been reporting in through e-mail for almost two weeks." Jeremy said stretching and looking at the clock. It was past two in the morning. He wondered how long he had slept hunched over his desk.

"Other than getting that tip from an on the ground agent that there plant and warehouse were in south africa we haven't had much to report to you... and... well I've been trying to..." she stumbled trying to find a way to say it.

"Reconcile the past in the interest of moving unweighted into the future?" Jeremy supplied.

"That was rather... well... eloquent" Rebecca said taken aback.

"I'm stuck here all day doing paper work with big words on it... did you really think I wouldn't pick up at least a few of them?" Jeremy replied smiling at the stunned look on Rebecca s face "besides I've... kinda been hoping this conversation was coming soon." Jeremy said his light sky blue eyes meeting Rebecca amber green ones. "Kinda hoped it would be in person though."

"Your the one that sent me here!" Rebecca retorted.

"You'd rather be driving through the outback or translating Spanish?" Jeremy said amused.

"You know they don't speak English here either." She said defensively.

"More importantly" Jeremy said wanting more than anything to return to the original topic. "Have you figured anything out yet?" he said his heart skipping a beat as he waited for the response.

"I have... and I can't wait to get home and see you" she said smiling at the relieved look on his face. "I don't know what it was back then but... I don't know just a blast from the past you know... what my life could have been" she finished.

"I do know what that's like" he replied leaning back in his chair. "Did you talk to Billy?"

"Yes we have agreed to stay friends... just friends and to keep our relationship very professional."

"Just friends huh?" Jeremy said sounding slightly sarcastic

"Look we agreed we have to be more than just co-workers here, so were friends we eat dinner some time's have a drink every now and then... but we're not going after each other" she finished.

"So I don't have to worry about him grabbing your ass when you two get home?" Jeremy asked laughing slightly.

"He does that and his biggest worry will be me... not you" Rebecca replied giggling. "look we can't be at each others throats all the time we have to learn to get along... or one of us would have to leave" Rebecca finished her grin vanishing.

"Which is not an option because?" Jeremy replied questioningly.

"Because I want to be with you and Billy doesn't want to lave this squad."

"Why?" Jeremy said surprised.

"It's not because of you I'll tell you that... were the only ones fighting umbrella and to fulfill his contract and get his new identity from the C.I.A he has to help fight umbrella... besides to spite everything that's happened he's a nice guy and fun to be around" Rebecca replied defiantly "I'm not gonna let your jealousy ruin a good friendship for me Jeremy." she finished.

Jeremy raised his hands defensively "I'm not jealous of him but I know I wouldn't want to work with my ex."

"You don't have an ex" Rebecca replied rather coolly.

"if I did I wouldn't want to work with her... look if you say your fine... then your fine" he said shrugging "if you need anything just let me know and if you find anything let me know" he added "I'd kinda like to see you home to ya know." he finished grinning.

"I will... we've got a few days down time before we resume the search... we just got a tip about some crazy guys in one of the eastern forests... but I imagine you want to go sleep in your bed rather than over your desk so Ill report in in a few days."

"Bye" they echoed in unison as the computer screen went dark. Jeremy felt his spirits rise in spite of his inhibition. He was sure she was over simplifying things and wasn't quite convinced that she could separate with what had been and had to be now, but that was for another time. He stood up rubbing his eyes thinking he would go and get some sleep before finishing this report.

**South Africa Outpost Three days later**

"You almost ready Becca?" Billy said entering the doorway to her room and watching her lace up her boots.

"Yes" Rebecca replied knotting her laces.

"Did you ever talk to-" Billy began.

"Yes" Rebecca cut across him "what about it?"

"What did you tell him?"

"That we had agreed to stay friends and nothing more" Rebecca replied standing up and stretching.

"Your not gonna tell him-" Billy began apprehensively.

"Tell him what?" Rebecca retorted heatedly shaking her auburn hair back and staring at Billy "that a one night stand in ninety-eight and one dunk stupid night out here means more to me then him saving me from certain death, from unimaginable pain, that my entire relationship with a man who risked his life for me a hundred times means less to me then what amounts to a teen age kids heart throb... no" she shook her head vigorously. "No Billy I'm not going to tell him that."

"I wouldn't say it in so many words" Billy said calmly "sooner or later your going to have to face the truth... and choose"

"I made my choice.... as I clearly remember telling you." Rebecca said angrily.

"I really hope your just lying to me and not to yourself... come on it's time to go... we got a lead on a bearing to follow into the forest" he turned and disappeared from view. Rebecca snatched her 38 caliber hand gun from the bed holstered it and followed.

Forty five minutes later they were entering the outskirts of the thick African jungle rumored to be Umbrellas new hiding place. Rebecca was keeping her eyes open for anything out of place, but she knew that Umbrella wouldn't make one of there last strong holds easy to find. "More to the east" Billy said through the microphone "your flying to far north see" he added pointing toward the compass. Rebecca readjusted there coarse.

"Thanks" Rebecca said in a very cool voice.

"Listen Becca about that stuff back there-" Billy began apologetically.

"I don't wanna talk about it" she cut across.

"I just-" he tried.

"No Billy I mean it shut up!" she said angrily. A fraction of a second later the world went white "WHOA WHAT AHHHHHH!"

**Tactical Conference Room London**

"I'm telling you Jeremy they moved there bases when they got wind of us" Michael was saying. His face was on a large projector screen with Jill's next to it. "I think we should consider other theories."

"Michael Umbrella bases aren't like lemonade stands they have millions of dollars of equipment and are expertly hidden." Jeremy said "I'm not letting you off that easily, we received credible intelligence that that's were umbrella is so keep digging."

"Ugh" Michael replied falling back into the passenger seat of the SUV, giving Jeremy a slight view of Sam driving.

"Were not having much luck here either" Jill said despairingly "seems like everything ties back to this guy who's code name is Plasmic but we can't seem to find him or his connection to umbrella... we'll keep kicking over rocks but if he's half as good as he seems to be he'll be half way to Russia by now" Jill finished.

"Well just keep looking all of you, something will brake-" he was cut off as a bang issued from the side of Michael and Sam's car, a second later a quantity of white smoke filled the car and the laptop slid to the floor. "Guys what happened?" There was the sound of coughing and gun fire a few seconds later the screen went dead. The laptop had either been destroyed or switched off. "Jill Chris you two still there?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah Jeremy what was that?" Chris asked turning the laptop to show him driving there car "we heard screaming?"

"I don't know-" he began.

"Watch out Chris!" Jeremy had a split second view of a car hitting the side of there vehicle before the laptop fell to the floor and snapped shut.

"Chris! Jill!" he said angrily ripping off the head set and throwing it to the floor. Just then the door to the conference room opened and in ran a junior agent.

"Captain Markenson I have an urgent message!" the man began as Jeremy wheeled around to face him.

"Christ what now?" Jeremy said wondering what on earth it could possibly be.

"The African officials lost contact with Agents Chamers and Coens helicopter over the jungle. They cant raise them on the radio and there emergency homing beacon is working." the man said quickly.

Jeremy felt his heart stop. They were all under attack right now. All six of them. All six of his friends, this was no accident or coincidence, this had to be a coordinated attack but who, how. "No time" he said aloud." He side stepped the junior agent and headed for the door "Get in touch with Director Combs he's over the South and Central America operations, tell him that Sam and Michael are under attack and to roll rapid response, get there last known coordinates from the transmission. Then call Director Alasastor and ask him to inform the BSAA that Jill and Chris might be in trouble, same goes for there last known coordinates." He had reached the door.

"What should I do about-" the agent began.

"You leave that to me." Jeremy supplied.

"Where are you going?" He called.

"To figure out what the hell just happened here!" Jeremy called back braking into a run. "We've a lot to do and little time to do it in.


	17. Divided and Reunited

Sorry I'm a bit late again.... Had some computer issues but heres another longer than normal update, So anyway as always I own nothing but the plot line (and Jeremy Markenson I supposed) and as always read, review, flame me if you so desire, but above all enjoy..... and review!

Divided and Reunited

**Loadstone Base London**

"Captain Markenson!" the Junior agent yelled catching up with him twenty minutes later in the hallway leading to the heliport.

"Sit rep rookie" Jeremy said briskly turning to face him. There was an overnight bag under his arm and his attire suggested he was about to leave. He was clad in a t-shirt and blue jeans with a dark blue sweatshirt.

"Combs says" he paused panting slightly "that they will deploy as fast as they can and Director Al is trying to get in touch with Chris and Jill's handler but she seems to unavailable" he finished breathing heavily.

"Of coarse" Jeremy said sarcastically rolling his eyes "how fast did Combs say they could respond?" he asked checking his watch.

"Well you see he said" he began nervousely, he had clearly hoped Jeremy wouldn't ask that. "that they won't be able to move until his superiors OK it."

"Fuck!" Jeremy said angrily slamming his fist into the wall and causing several nearby people to stare "Fucking bureaucratic road blocks!" he spat. "Look thanks" he said turning and shaking his head "you've done all I asked and all you can do... but I have to get going" he turned and began walking fast checking his watching again.

"Were are you going?" the agent asked following him.

"Africa" Jeremy responded as they climbed the stairs to the roof. "Theres a helicopter waiting to take me to the airport so I can get a jet to Pretoria and then a helicopter to the outpost."

"Good luck" the man called over the din as the door to the roof spung open and the sound of engine roared through the stair well.

"Thanks I'm gonna need it" Jeremy called to him. As he crossed and climbed into the helicopter. He closed the door behind him and helicopter rose with a jerk and soared west towards London.

**Umbrella Base South African Jungle**

Visions swam in and out of focus. Richard being attacked by the snake. The tyrant exploding as Chris used a rocket launcher on it. Jeremy laying with his flesh torn open on floor of the car dealership. Rebecca saw all of these as she screamed. No words would come. She ran towards them but never seemed to gain ground. They were there, they were dieing, they needed her.

"No" she muttered as she jerked sideways and awoke to a sharp pain in shoulder as she landed on it. "No no no" she said sitting up and looking around. It took her a moment to remember what had happened.

After the smoke had obscured her vision the controls in the helicopter had gone crazy causing them to land in the jungle. They had jumped out ready to fight and were met with a hail of gun fire from UBCS soldiers. They took cover behind the helicopter and returned fire. They seemed to have taken out a few of them but it was no use. An agent must have gone around to there side through the trees and used a tranquilizer on them. She supposed this must be the Umbrella base they had been looking for.

"I was just about to wake you up" said a voice from the corner "you looked like you were having some sort of nightmare."

"After everything we've seen don't you have a nightmare every once in a while Billy?" Rebecca said turning to find him sitting on a bed at the opposite wall. The room was roughly 15 feet by 10 feet with 1 bed at each end. The walls were sleek shiny metal. There was nothing attached to them and the beds were bolted to the wall and floor. The only loose object that could be used like a weapon were the dime store pillows on each bed. "You OK?" Rebecca asked.

"Oh I'm alright" Billy said unconcernedly "How about you.... you were thrashing around for about 10 minutes there... everything alright?"

"Considering we've been captured and are at a base that no one has found yet in the middle of the dense South African jungle..... I've been better!" she snapped

"I meant physically" Billy replied coolly "I'm just trying to see if your alright.... and it would be nice if you would stop biting my head off at every opportunity" he added.

"Whatever" Rebecca said dejectedly pulling herself up and sitting down on her bed.

"So what do you think they want?" Billy asked.

"Information I supposed." Rebecca answered. Simultaneously running through every escape idea she had ever used tried or heard about, but none seemed applicable here.

"What legnths do you think they'll go to to get it?"

"Did you have any training on interrogations when you joined Loadstone?" Rebecca asked distractedly.

"I observed one" Billy said thinking.

"Pretty much that... maybe slightly worse" she said despairingly collapsing onto her bed, having finally exhausted all possibilities for there current situation and not wanting to think about what lay ahead.

"Oh only slightly worse huh?" Billy retorted.

Rebecca ignored him and allowed them to lapse into silence. She stared up at the metal ventilation shaft nearly 15 feet up. There was no way to get to it. Nothing on the walls to grab she didn't think she could reach even standing on Billy's shoulders.

"So" she began after nearly 45 minutes of silence "got any good escape plans yet?" Before Billy had time to answer the door swung open and 3 people entered. Two of them were UBCS soldiers in uniform holding a pair of M-16 assault riffles. The one in the middle looked like a commander judging by his uniform.

"Good your awake." he began "saves us the trouble of carrying you... Get up, turn around, place your hands behind your back and interlock your fingers" he said in a bored voice that suggested he said this a great deal.

"Now wait you can't-" Billy began but one of the soldiers hit him in the stomach with the stock of the M-16.

"We can do this peacefully or" he said with a slight smile on his face "we can hog tie you and achieve the same result.... but that would be much more unpleasant for you I can assure you."

Rebecca knew she had no choice. She did as she was told. Thinking if nothing else she would get to see the face of who was behind this.

**South African Outpost**

"You must be the S.T.A.R.S commander they said was coming". Jeremy stepped off the helicopter and turned to face the man who had addressed him. He was a tall black man of medium build who was clad in a camouflage suit. "I'm Lieutenant Harris at your service captain... have you heard anything about the rest of your team?"

"Dispatch deployed a SEAL team into Bileeze.... they were too late but It looks like two of my agents were dragged off in a struggle... there on there trail." Jeremy said adjusting his shoulder bag.

"and agents Redfield and Valentine?" he asked sounding concerned.

"No word yet" Jeremy said mirroring the Lieutenants concern. "What have you guys got?" he asked entering the large building that was the center of the outpost.

"We have a team of trackers working there way through jungle.... we used there last known coordinates to find a general area.... luckily there helicopter caught fire which acted as a beacon in its self." he said quickly leading Jeremy into a tactical command room.

"What caused them to crash?" Jeremy asked.

"Apparently this" the man said picking up a large cylinder with aerodynamic fins on it. "strange thing is that if they were hit by a missile why didn't they blow up in the air.... and we found 3 more just like this near the crash site."

"That isn't a missile at all" Jeremy said examining it "it's a prop that expels a hell of a lot of smoke and makes it damn near impossible to see..... still doesn't explain why they went down but..... there alive" he said sighing heavily "thats something for now.... it does look as though they are right?" Jeremy asked anxiously.

"Yes it looks like Umbrella wanted them alive..... though from what I know of Umbrella that doesn't bode well for them." he finished.

"Alright get in touch with your trackers and find out how far this base looks to be from here. You" he said pointing at a man at a computer "Get directors Combs and Allastar on the com link as fast as you can." he finished. There was a murmur of understanding as they moved to obey. Jeremy slumped back into one of the chairs surrounding the oval table.

**Umbrella Base South African Jungle**

"The interrogator will be in shortly.... enjoy this brief respite... it won't last long I assure you." said the commander as he closed the door. Leaving Rebecca in a concrete room strapped to a metal chair to await her "interrogator".

She stared around at the room. All four walls were solid concrete accept for the one she was facing that contain a thick steel door and what she knew to be a one way mirror. "Suppose it muffles the screams" she muttered staring at a table under the mirror mirror. She could see some of the instruments on the table. Small knives, pins, syringes, and pads she knew would generate electricity when hooked to an outlet. She looked down, her hands were under 2 thick pieces of steel which the guards had locked on the sides. Her legs were bound in the same way, there was no way to move.

She found herself remembering when she had been in this situation before. Found herself remembering the tales of interrogations that people had witnessed or performed. She knew that this time no knight in shining armor was going to save her. She only hoped she had the strength to endure and not give away anything crucial to the operations. She was ripped from her thoughts as the door opened with a loud thud. She jerked her head up and felt her heart stop. She opened her mouth and let out a high blood curdling scream.

"It's good to see you too Miss Chambers" said a cool familiar voice "I'm sure were going to have a great time today aren't we?" he said staring at her. A malevolent smile spread across his face as her warm green eyes met his ice chip like blue ones. "Well..... don't you have anything to say to your former commander?" he asked with a hint of a laugh.

She seemed to regain some of herself "Yeah" she said defiantly "do your worst.... Wesker!."

This time he really did laugh. It was a cold merciless thing that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "Oh I'm going to Miss Chambers don't your worry about that."


	18. Your Call

Sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoy the chapter and as always i don't own resident evil.

* * *

_**Your Call**_

**South African Outpost: Communications Room**

"So you haven't heard anything?" Jeremy said despairingly looking at director Al's face on the computer screen.

"Sorry nothing... we tipped off the local authorities about Michael and Sam but-" he began.

"WHAT?" Jeremy said outraged "i thought you said-"

"I know what I said but... look were in a delicate situation here." Allastar snapped cutting Jeremy off. "Your forgetting that were a top secret black operations team... We can't send SEAL teams into foreign countries to rescue agents that technically don't exist... it's happened before... you know that."

Jeremy clenched his teeth seething. Michael was one of his best friends and Sam, whatever his faults didn't deserve this. Jeremy shook his head trying to rid it of the anger. "OK look I guess... I guess there's only so much you can do... can you at least see if the navy can provide me some air cover when we hit the base were Becca and Billy are?"

"That I might be able to pull off... since your working with an above board outpost I can probably justify it as an anti-terror measure.. I'll still have to make out a requisition... give me a couple of hours" he said leaning forward to press a button and terminate the video conference. "Oh and Jeremy... get some sleep, you won't do anyone any good leading a raid with no energy" he added just before he pressed the button. Before Jeremy had time to respond the screen went black.

He sighed throwing off the headset and standing up "Any word from the trackers yet?"

"No" replied the Commander.

"Any transmissions come for me during that?" he asked, wanting desperately to have something to do.

"No... your director is right... you can't do anything for any of them right now... there's a barracks down the hall to your right, should be empty right now." he finished.

"There's no way I can sleep right now... not with all of them still out there." Jeremy replied to Harris staring at the computer he was at.

"You've been up what around thirty-six hours or so by now?" the commander asked evenly.

"Give or take that sounds about right" Jeremy said still staring at the stationary mouse cursor.

"Then your body and mind are tired even if you don't want to believe it... your friends are in danger... and your not doing them any favors by putting yourself on sleep deprivation while you intend to command there rescue operations!" he finished heatedly.

Jeremy shook his head slowly "OK I suppose that's fair." Jeremy said turning around to face him. "Look thanks I needed that... and in a hurry for a sit rep I never caught your first name?"

"Dale Harris" he replied "don't worry about it... I can't say I would act any differently in your situation... go and I'll have someone wake you the second we hear anything."

"Thanks" Jeremy said, and with that he retrieved his bag and headed for the barracks. The barracks were just another part of the building. A large room with blank walls and a multitude of bunk beds. It was void of any life. Jeremy searched for a bunk that was void of any personal affects. He discarded the fitting sheet that was laying folded on the bed. He laid down and pulled the thin blanket over himself. He didn't want to sleep, he didn't need sleep. What he needed was to brake the case.

However it seemed Dale had been right. Within minutes in spite of himself he fell into an uneasy sleep. It seemed as though his mind had decided to punish him for daring to sleep at a time like this. Every few minutes he would awake from a nightmare of years past back to the nightmare he was stranded in now. His mind seemed to cycle through all the worst experiences in his life. First when the police had come to tell them that his father had died in a car accident. Then the agents telling him that his mother had disappeared. Then his first interrogation... his first torture... his first murder... On and on they went. He thought it would never end. This was one more reason that he felt a great since of relief when the door banged open and a voice yelled "Captain Markenson we just received a call for you." With that he jumped out of bed drawing his hand over his forehead to wipe away some of cold sweat forming there, and hurried towards the door.

**Umbrella Facility: Interrogation Room**

"You won't make me talk Wesker.... coarse I guess you don't need a reason to do things like this... you just enjoy giving out pain don't you?" Rebecca said to Wesker. He had turned his back to her and was fiddling with something on the table full of torture implements.

"You think you know so much about me don't you?" he said in his cold even voice. "You in fact know nothing about me or my motivations in this situation." He turned and walked towards her holding a syringe full of liquid. "But you only need to know two things at this point in time" he added feeling her inner elbow until he found a large vein. "You can't lie... and one thing I'm sure you already know is that I" he pressed the plunger on the syringe deploying the drug into her veins. "I never bluff." he finished dropping the syringe. "Quinuclidinyl benzilate" he said crushing the glass syringe to powder under his boot "do you know what that does Miss Chambers?"

"Causes auditory and visual hallucinations and makes you want to move" she replied feeling the last effect begin to take hold. "If that's the best you got your losing your touch."

"You seem to have forgotten a symptom" Wesker said smiling malevolently "it amplifies pain signals making them feel ten times worse then they actually are." Rebecca gulped she thought she had forgotten a symptom. "Lets take that for a test drive shall we?" Wesker said retrieving from the table a single large stick pin. "The funny thing is Miss Chambers" he said his voice still cold and emotionless "this is far from the worst I can do." With another sour laugh he went about his work.

**Umbrella Facility: Prison Cell**

Billy sat staring around the room. It had been hours since they had taken Rebecca, and the thought of what might be happening to her was tormenting him. He had exhausted any hope of forming an escape plan with nothing but there current tools. He hated being there alone. He remembered the days in solitary confinement at Leavenworth awaiting execution. He had thought those would be the worst days of his life. Now he had found the one thing that made being totally alone worse, fear.

He stood up and began pacing the room. Every now and then he would switch and do something physical to keep from going stir crazy. He had studied every inch of the smooth steel walls ten times over. There was nothing. Two lights imbedded into the sealing tiles, two air vents and a door. No hope of escape or using any of the rooms items as a weapon. As he began running through escape plans again he heard foot steps as he passed the door.

Just as he took a step beyond the door it flew open smashing him in the back. He turned expecting to see an armed guard. Instead there was a slight thud and the door swung shut again to reveal. "Becca!" he gasped. The thud had been the guard depositing her unceremoniously onto the floor. He took a step towards her and realized she was sobbing in pain. There were tiny pin pricks spitting blood up and down her arms and legs. She was shivering uncontrollably.

He had no idea how such superficial injuries could cause so much pain, but some how it unnerved the ex-marine. He picked her up and carried her to the bed at the far end. He laid her down as gentle as he could. Every touch seemed to pain her in a new way. He threw the thin blanket over her. He then crossed and retrieved his own blanket and gave it to her as well. She had stopped sobbing. She was still shivering and gave an occasional cough.

"Thanks" she managed to spit out after a few minutes. "he gave me some medicine that amplifies pain... he's a sick bastard Billy.. I really hope they come for us before you have to go through this." she said her voice shaking.

"Don't worry about me... you recognize anyone in here?" Billy asked, quite thankful to have someone to talk to.

"Yeah... the interrogator... it's Wesker... you remember?" she asked coughing slightly.

"No" he said after a while "was he a friend of yours or something?" he asked thinking he knew the answer.

"That's right... I never got to tell you what happened after... after we" she searched for the right words. "parted company" she said finally.

"Well whatever happened don't worry about telling me now... just sleep and get better... you really think there coming for us?"

"I heard them say they were preparing for battle... something about some activity in the forest."

"I never thought I'd say this.... but I hope Jeremy's as good as you say he is.

Fifteen or so minutes passed and Billy thought Rebecca might have finally fallen a sleep when the door unlocked and flew open for the third time. "On your feet both of you!" said the commander they had dealt with earlier. This time he was accompanied by six armed soldiers.

"What's going-" Billy began.

"Shut up and move!" the commander cut across him. Billy stood up and allowed the guards to restrain him. "You too girl" the commander said seizing Rebecca by the arm and yanking her up. She let out a great scream of pain as he pushed her against the wall and restrained her.

"Hey leave her alone!" Billy shouted. One of the soldiers sent an elbow crashing into his stomach. Billy felt his lungs empty of air as he dropped to his knees gasping.

"I'd hit you harder but I'd rather we didn't have to carry your sorry ass." said the solder in a tone of amusement. One of the other guards seized Billy's shoulder and pulled him into a standing position. The guard who hit Billy pushed Rebecca beside of him and commanded "move"

"Were are we going?" Billy asked boldly.

"You'll find out." said the Commander malevolently.

**South African Outpost: Communications Room**

"Chris... Jill your... your alright?" Jeremy asked feeling a wave of relief crash over him. Two of them at least had made it out OK.

"Yeah we're fine" Jill said looking concerned "whats going on Jeremy you don't look too good?"

"A lot has happened in the last two days." Jeremy began as he recounted the adventures of the last 48 hours.

"My god... so you haven't heard anything about any of them?" Chris said sounding shocked. "They ambushed us but we were ready for them... but in the mayhem our car exploded and our identification and all our hard ware went up in smoke with it... took us some time to get word to the BSAA..." he finished.

"good at least I know you two are all right." Jeremy said looking at the computer screen showing them "where are you two right now?"

"We're already on a flight to South Africa, BSAA said that you left order to rendezvous as soon as we could.

"Good well I'll let you know if-" he broke off. There was a second message coming in and unless he was miss reading the frequency. "Michael?" he asked hopefully bridging the two messages putting Chris and Jill on the same screen as the new comer.

"Miss us?" asked Michael jokingly. His face appeared on the monitor next to Sam.

"Thank god" Jeremy said breathing another deep sigh of relief.

"The Bileeze authorities catch up with you?" he asked some what surprised.

"Bileeze cops?" Sam said questioningly. "don't tell me you planned on leaving us to those guys."

"What do you mean?" Jeremy asked surprised.

"Didn't you send in the marines special forces that saved us?" Michael asked.

"No it I... it doesn't matter!" Jeremy said after taking a few seconds to organize his thoughts. "Something weird is going on at central command and I intend to find out what, but first we have to save Rebecca and Billy." he finished "before you ask let me explain." With that he recounted for a second time what had happened. However as he neared the end of the story there was a second interruption.

"Jeremy" Dale said as he entered the room. "there's something you should hear" he said setting a digital voice recorder on the table, "our trackers just relayed this intercepted radio signal."

"Hang on" he unplugged the headset so the regular microphone would pick up the recording "you four listen too."

Dale pressed play on the recorder and a deep male voice began "The prisoner transfer will be at nine-o-clock tomorrow evening. Be ready for the exchange at the heliport."

"You said there was two prisoners?" asked another unfamiliar voice.

"Yes a man and a women... they will be sedated so there shouldn't be any problems." the man finished.

"Alright we'll be waiting at the extraction point." finished the second voice before the recording ended.

"This was intercepted one hour ago" said Dale switching off the power to the recorder. "Which means if we are to save your friends we have less than eighteen hours to do so."

Jeremy leaned on the table contemplating. It was risky to go in without having enough time to prepare, it was even riskier to let them get away. "Everyone hear that recording OK?" he asked without turning to face the computer.

"Yes... and I gotta tell you Jer I don't have a good feeling about this." Chris said apprehensively "nothing is ever this cut and dry with Umbrella, there never this careless."

"I agree... we should wait and see what happens" Michael added.

"If we loose them we might not be able to catch up with them in time." Jeremy said still not looking at them. They all fell silent.

"It's your call Jeremy" Jill said simply. He waited a moment thinking. The choice wasn't hard. "I take it this means they found the base?" he asked.

"Yes we have the coordinates" Dale replied.

"How many soldiers and how much fire power you got in this place?" he asked looking up at Dale.

"Well there are about 70 or so people trained and equipped for a raid such as this... not counting you and your team." Dale replied.

"Chris Jill how long will it take you to get here?" Jeremy asked turning to face them.

"There's about another eleven hours on the flight and another one hour helicopter ride." Jill replied.

"It's one AM now so you should be here about two o'clock two PM." Jeremy replied thinking hard "what about you two?" he added.

"We're more like eighteen or so" Michael said frowning "you can't go in without us."

"You can't get here any faster?" Jeremy asked desperately.

"If we leave now maybe."

"Then go.... get here as fast as you can but once the lock hits seven tomorrow night I can't wait any longer... now Dale" he said turning to face the commander "i want two separate strike forces each thirty-five people. Divide each of the strike group into a squadron of fourteen people. Have the one remaining person from each strike team stay here and keep in radio contact with there strike squads and me at all times."

"I'll get right on it" Dale said turning and exiting the room.

"Alright Chris and Jill get some sleep on the plain cause there won't be much time to sit around when you get here... Michael and Same just get here as fast as you can" he finished.

"Alright" they echoed together and a second later the link was broken. He turned to the door. He headed for the barracks thinking he might try to get a few more hours sleep before the extensive preparations began. They were right, he was going to need some sleep for something such as this.

**Umbrella Facility: Lower Level**

"Why?" Billy asked. The soldiers had brought them to the lowest level at the base were there was a large underground bullet train.

"Why isn't it obvious?" asked the commander. "Can't have your friends at the C.I.A busting in and taking you away before we find out what you know". With that he pushed them both up the stairs and onto the train. "Yes all the hard work we put into catching you would go to waste if they did that."

"You bastard!" Rebecca spat at him.

"Ha you don't know the half of it... your old Captain Wesker is quite the tactician... Why he even sent out a fake radio call to throw off your good friend Jeremy and make him attack without having enough time to fully prepare... Yes that's right I know who you work for... your team has been a virtually endless pain in my ass for the last 3 years." he finished laughing sourly "i just hope Wesker lets me go a a round with one of you before he's finished."

They were sitting with there backs to the wall opposite the commander. Rebecca moved a little closer to Billy. "Don't worry Becca" he said in a would be comforting voice "everything will be OK I promise." Rebecca looked at him. "What?" he said questioningly at the look she gave him.

"The last person that said that to me is about to walk head first into a trap trying to full fill that promise."


	19. Operation Viper

**Operation Viper**

**South African Outpost: Tactical Command Room**

Jeremy sat staring at a pair of computer screens detailing the land layout surrounding the base. A few hours of decent sleep and a little more good news had revitalized him. Director Al had made good on his word and arranged for an air strike immediately before and after their attacks. He was trying to find the best insertion point for his team. It wasn't easy the base was heavily fortified with few entrances.

"Having any luck Captain?" Dale asked entering the room.

"A little... there's a heliport on the roof and a door I suppose leading to a stair well that my team and one of the insertion teams can enter through... then two more insertion teams can enter through the right bay doors that I think must lead to a garage." Jeremy said leaning back and rubbing his eyes "whats the time?"

"twelve o two PM" Dale replied checking his watch.

"Good then with any luck Chris and Jill will be here in a few hours."

"Captain Markenson can I make a suggestion?" Dale asked slightly tense.

"We're not formal here Dale say whats on your mind" Jeremy said. He still wasn't used to be treated as an officer.

"Why don't you let me coordinate the concerted efforts and you concentrate on leading your team in."

Jeremy turned and leaned back in his chair folding his arms behind his head and staring at Dale. "Think I can't handle it?" he asked.

"Not at all... but leading an invasion you intend to take part in is difficult and... and..." throwing caution to the wind he blurted out "hot headed and stupid" Jeremy raised his eye brows but remained impassive "my men will obey you because of your rank but that doesn't mean they trust you... and the fact that you have a large personal stake in this mission is no secret not besides trying to keep tabs on all the teams while dodging bullets is stupid... let me handle the coordination and you handle the search and rescue." Dale finished breathing heavily.

"Quite a speech Lieutenant" Jeremy said smiling slightly "I'm just gonna assume that your doing this because you care about your people and want this to be as smooth as possible... Alright you handle the tactics and I'll handle the primary objective... as long as you and everyone else understand that destroying the base and retrieving data is a secondary objective." Jeremy stood up "Just so you know if you wanted to be in charge all you had to do was ask"

"Huh" Dale looked surprised "what?"

"I'm a hell of a lot better field agent then I am a tactician... I'm kinda glad your in control now... takes some of the stress off ya know?" Jeremy said walking away "just do me a favor and keep me updated on the teams progress will you?"

"Uh yeah sure" Dale said watching Jeremy walk away. "I just can't figure that guy out" Dale muttered taking Jeremy's vacant seat and beginning the process of making a battle plan.

**Unkown Umbrella Facility: Prison Cell**

Rebecca felt herself coming around. She could feel the hard mattress under her and the paper thin blank covering her. She didn't want to wake. She wanted to sleep until this nightmare was over. Until someone came to save them. Then she remember that no one was coming to save them. That they had been moved to a new base. She forced her eyes open to see a familiar sight. She was in a cell identical to the one from before. She sat up and heard Billy say "Morning Princess"

"Ugh... Billy what... what happened?" she forced out she still a bit groggy but she was starting to remember.

"They gave us some tranquilizers on the train and some more in the chopper... don't know where we are now... or how long we've been here for that matter." Billy said leaning back against the wall of the cell.

"Best guess?" Rebecca asked

"It's been at least two days" Billy said "i came around in the helicopter for a couple of minutes and the sun was going down... must have been flying for a while, and it looked like we were heading north from the direction the sun was going down in."

"So they've already gone in after us... god I hope they're OK" Rebecca said.

"Them? I think I'd worry more about us then them." Billy retorted. "They're not the ones trapped in a steel box facing a sadist for an interrogator."

"And they're about to walk into a trap trying to save us!" Rebecca said heatedly. She couldn't believe he was acting like this.

"Us... I think you mean you" Billy said coolly "you know damn well none of them give a shit about me... but I guess sleeping with your boss has it's benefits."

"Leave him out of this" Rebecca said angrily feeling a slight stab of shame "You really think he wouldn't have tried to come save you if I hadn't been here?"

"He would've but your the bait" Billy sat up and rested his elbows on his knees staring at Rebecca "do you think he would've gone running into a heavily fortified base operated by Umbrella based on the possibility that I mite be there?"

"Why are you doing this Billy?" Rebecca asked close to tears. She didn't know what brought this out.

"Because I want to know why" Billy said angrily "why him... you and I split up and you meet him... then you hide me from him and when I show back up you act like I don't exist... Then we get here away from him and"

"Shut up!" Rebecca shouted resisting the urge to leap at Billy.

"Then you start acting like that never happened either... and now we're here" Billy finished.

"Is this really the time to talk about this?" Rebecca asked wanting desperately to change the subject.

"Unless you've got a better conversation topic" Billy said.

Rebecca took a few deep breathes and said with as much animosity as she could put into "i like him because he's the opposite of you!"

"Oh really?" Billy said his voice dripping with sarcasm. "From what I know about him he and I aren't so different. Dark and troubled with a tormented past, an expert sniper, a special forces operative."

"He never slaughtered an entire village of innocent people!" Rebecca replied staring Billy down.

"No... from what I hear he hasn't" Billy said the sarcasm gone replaced by an unnerving chill. "But did he ever tell you he once tortured an eight year old girl to death in front of her father as an interrogation technique?"

"No" Rebecca said quietly averting her eyes "he never mentioned that."

"See what I mean... your friend isn't quite as kind as he would have you believe."

"Time for you to answer my question Billy "why the hell are you telling me all of this?" Rebecca spat at him locking eyes with him again.

"Because I think your about to make a huge mistake... and I think I owe it to you to tell you what your getting into."

"Some way to re-pay a favor" Rebecca said pulling her blanket into the air and sliding underneath it. She turned to face the wall so she didn't have to look at Billy.

"Becca-" Billy began.

"Shut up Billy I don't want to hear it right now." Billy quieted and she heard the sounds of his mattress groaning under his weight. As she laid in the silence she contemplated the facts and thought that Billy mite be right. That Jeremy mite have always been a substitute for him... But now that he was here what should she do? The thought of it made her head spin. She shut her eyes wishing her mind would stop racing. "First we gotta get out of here" she thought "then I'll deal with that problem"

**South African Outpoast: Equipment Room**

"Thank god you two are here in time" Jeremy said breathing a sigh of relief as Chris and Jill entered the room. It was 5:30 PM and he was wondering where they were.

"Sorry had some processing issues at the airport... when do we roll?" Chris said sitting down next to Jeremy.

"Exactly one hour from now" Jeremy replied. "get suited up... you've been briefed I assume?"

"Yeah the helicopter pilot told us the game plan. Us three enter on the roof and work in tandem with the other teams right?" Jill asked.

"That's right... we'll have to get to a computer in the base its self to find out were there holding Billy and Becca... We are also gonna try to get onto one of the military's satellites and clone their database onto the network here at the outpost. Once we've accomplished both mission objectives we withdraw and the air force hits the place with a bunker buster." Jeremy said as Chris and Jill helped themselves to weapons and armor and equipment.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Jilly replied lacing her boots.

"Everyone ready?" Jeremy asked a little while later as Chris and Jill stood up.

"Yep sure am" Chris said.

"Lets get a move on" Jill added.

A short while later they were riding in a helicopter headed towards the base. There had been a great deal of flashing lights on the horizon a short while before that they surmised was the preliminary air raid. The helicopter couldn't land on the roof since it had been hit by fire from the air plains. It hovered a few feet off the ground as the three disembarked. "The air raids over for now" Dale voice came over the communicator headsets they were wearing "radio me when your on your way back up and i'll send a chopper back for you. All the other teams have already infiltrated... good luck" he finished as the radio went silent and the helicopter soared away leaving them on the roof top. They proceeded cautiously to the door and down the stair case. The hall they entered was empty. There were red emergency lights flashing on the tiles over head and an emergency protocol coming over the intercom. They came to a fork in the hall and headed left. "I don't like this" Chris said "there aren't enough people here" Almost like they were waiting for there cue a set of UBCS soldiers appeared at the end of the hall and opened fire. The team kept for doors on opposite sides of the hall way. Jill and Jeremy crashing through a door marked research on one side and Chris into an office on the opposite side.

"They were waiting for us" Jill said returning fire at the soldiers. "Let me hold them off you get to finding out were we need to go Jeremy" Jeremy got up off the floor and ran to the computer.

"Dammit they removed our password!" Jeremy said angrily pounding out commands furiously.

"That mean you can't do it?" Jill said firing and downing one of the soldiers.

"I can do it but it's going to be a pain in the ass... give me a couple of minutes" he said still punching in commands.

"That could be a problem" Jill said as a hail of gun fire issued from their point on origin. They were trapped in between two teams... There was no doubt they had been waiting for them.

A few minutes past and the gun fire stopped as the teams retreated around the corners. "How much longer?" Jill asked peaking out from the door.

"I'm in and I set the clone up I just need to find YES I've got it they're on the second floor basement of this complex in cell four" he said turning around "how many are left out there?"

"Two to the right and one to the left I think" Chris said from the room across the hall.

"Three of them three of us... nobody miss!" Jeremy said. The soldiers appeared around the corners simultaneously. Jeremy dive rolled out of the room and fired. Jill unleashed a barrage from her Gloc from the inside of the door frame while Chris fired in the opposite direction with a pair of 38 hand guns. After the fight Jeremy stood up holding his left hand with his right. I gotta find a liter gun... This fifty caliber club is killing my arm. They laughed and took a second to catch there breathe.

After the respite they headed back towards the stairs they had come down before. Jeremy pressed the button on his head set and said "The transmission coming through alright?".

"We're getting everything just fine Jeremy but the teams are reporting a high volume of ambush's here so be careful." Dales voice came over the radio.

"We already know about that" Jeremy said thinking privately that it was starting to look like Chris had been right and he had walked them head first into a trap.

"We only have about four percent of the data copied so it's gonna take a while... is the terminal supplying it secure?" Dale asked

"Not really but I doubt anyone will notice." Jeremy said "Markenson out" he said switching the microphone back off.

They proceeded down to the second basement level without incident. They didn't seem to be bothering to cover the stair wells. They emerged into the basement guns drawn. It didn't seem necessary. There were dead bodies strewn across the floor. One of which appeared to be one of the military support soldiers assisting them. Jeremy checked his pulse "gone" he said after a moment. He stood up straight and examined there surroundings. It seemed to be what you would expect of a science lab all white with short descriptions of the rooms contents on the doors with florescent lights overhead. Except many doors towards the end of the hall were made of a thick metal. Jill and Jeremy covered Chris as he extracted the keys to the cells. They continued with caution. Jeremy and Jill stopped at a place were there hall way crossed another creating a plus shaped intersection. "Go let them out Chris we'll cover you from here" Jeremy said. Chris continued on while Jeremy and Jill stood guns drawn facing different directions. Jeremy heard a key inserted into a lock and a door open. Then another... and another

"They're not here" Chris said a note of shock in his voice.

"What? they have to be " Jeremy said panicking and running towards Chris with Jill right behind him. Jeremy stopped and stared into an empty cell. He moved to another which looked the same except the beds were messy in this one. "We're too late... their gone." Jeremy said staring into the room feeling a mixture of anger and sorrow. Chris walked past this cell and opened another one.

"We should check all the cells around here." He stepped inside and flipped on the lights.

Jeremy stood rooted to the spot too horrified to speak. Jill turned and looked back down the hall way towards the stairs. She saw a laser dot appear on the right side of Jeremy's neck. Without thinking she put her shoulder down and rammed into Jeremy with all her mite as a bullet passed through the space were his neck had been a split second before. "Jill what?"

"SNIPER!" Jill yelled crawling over Jeremy to get further into the room and out of the line of site of the shooter. Jeremy pulled his knees out of the hall as Chris returned fire.

"They were waiting... they knew we'd come... they knew I'd come...' Jeremy said despairingly realizing for the first time he mite never see Rebecca again.

"Now isn't the time to start the self pity shit!" Chris said stepping inside the room "the snipers dead the cells are all empty so get up lets get the hell out of here regroup and figure out our next move!" Chris grabbed Jeremy's arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Right right... your right" Jeremy said still sounding despondent. He pressed the button on his head set "Dale give the extraction order and get us the hell out of here... Rebecca and Billy aren't here." the line was silent for a few moments.

"I'm sorry Jeremy there will be a chopper there in less than ten minutes. They proceeded in silence back to the roof without incident. The chopper arrived and Jeremy was surprised to see Michael flying it with Sam next to him. They climbed into the chopper and departed . A few minutes later Jeremy's com link crackled to life. "We're all clear and the data is copied Jeremy are you clear so we can drop the bomb?"

Jeremy turned the microphone on and replied "Yeah torch it" he pressed the button again and without waiting for a response he pulled the headset off and threw it on the floor. Jeremy stared out the window the rest of the flight trying to think of what to do next. When they reached the outpost he climbed out first and turned to face Jill. "I never thanked you for saving my life back there... I owe you one Jill... really I do" he said.

"I think you owe me about twelve now" Jill replied trying to force a weak smile.

We heard over the radio that they weren't there" Michael said.

"So what's our next move Cap?" Sam said his voice lacking it's usual energetic quality. He sounded older and strained.

"That's the thing Meeker..." Jeremy said turning to walk away "i really don't know. With that he walked away and none of them not even Sam wanted to follow him.


End file.
